Supreme Court Directs High Courts To Make E-Filing Compulsory In Certain Categories Of Cases From January 2022

The Chairman of the E-Committee of the Supreme Court, as per its letter dated 9 October 2021, has directed all the High Courts to make –

1) E-filing of cases/petitions by government in all types of matters to be made mandatory from 1 January 2022. After such date, there should be no physical filing of cases by Government in any matter;

2) E-filing is to be made compulsory for all, in some categories of matters like revenue, tax, arbitration, commercial disputes, and any other category as deemed fit by the High Court, from 1 January 2022;

3)E-filing of petitions, appeals, and revisions against the judgments/orders of the subordinate courts to be made mandatory from 1 January 2022. In case of e-filing of an appeal or revision, the required record of the trial court can be digitally linked with the appellate/revisional court;

4) Suits for money recovery (loan recovery suits by banks, arrears of rent, etc.), complaints under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, applications for maintenance, petitions for divorce by mutual consent, and bail applications can also be considered for mandatory e-filing; and

5) Appropriate practice note/circular can be issued to withdraw the requirement of submission of physical copies of the case file if e-filing has been made.

In terms of the above decision of the Apex Court, the Registrar of the High Court of Kerala has written to the Bar Council of Kerala, as required by the Chief Justice of India.