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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Courts decide to outsource management of documents

From http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/31/stories/2007013104611300.htm

Courts decide to outsource management of documents

Legal Correspondent

Registrars-General conference wants States to meet the cost of digitisation


  • Vigilance cell mooted in each district
  • To consider accreditation of reporters of newspapers

    New Delhi: Confronted by inadequate space to store voluminous records in the context of mounting arrears of cases, the High Courts and subordinate courts have decided to outsource the management of court documents.

    A decision to this effect was taken recently at a conference of Registrars-General of High Courts and Law Secretaries of various State governments. It said: ``Since space is a constraint for keeping the old records in High Courts and subordinate courts, the High Court may consider preservation and maintenance of court records by digitisation and scanning, through outsourcing, which will not only save cost but also time. The State Governments should provide funds required for digitisation and scanning of court records.'' Another drastic decision empowered the High Courts to consider outsourcing various services relating to maintenance of court buildings so as to minimise the expenditure and bring efficiency.

    The process of computerisation in High Courts and district courts with emphasis on interlinking status reports of each case should be continued by the High Court concerned independent of the National Informatics Centre and E-Committee with the help of funds provided by State governments.

    On streamlining of issue of copies of judgments and various orders, it was decided that a computerised endorsement about the particulars of filing of the applications was sufficient for issue of copies.

    At present judges to the High Court are appointed in the ratio of two-third (of the strength of judges) from among lawyers and one-third from among the district judges. The meeting requested that in future the ratio should be 50:50 from the bar and the subordinate judiciary.

    It called for conferring limited financial autonomy on the High Courts and involvement of professionals in the financial management of the High Courts and district courts. The conference decided to have a vigilance cell in each district, to be headed by a senior judicial officer to keep effective control on the court staff and to regularly monitor their activities so that the image of the courts was not tarnished in the eyes of the public.

    It was resolved that the High Courts might consider accreditation of reporters from various newspapers and electronic media on the pattern of the Supreme Court so that the reporting in the media was true and accurate.

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