The circular has been issued in the interest of bringing about uniformity in filings, as well as to reduce the consumption of paper in environmental interest.
Bar & Bench
Mar 12, 2020, 1:27 PM IST
After issuing directions in this regard for administrative side filings earlier this year, the Supreme Court has now issued a circular intimating that judicial side filings should be made in A4 size paper, of the prescribed quality, with printing on both sides from April 1 onwards
The circular issued to this effect, dated March 5, also states that Court Registry communications to Advocates-on-Record would thereafter be made only electronically.
The circular has been issued in the interest of bringing about uniformity in filings, as well as to reduce the consumption of paper in environmental interest.
It has intimated that the following changes will take effect starting from April 1, this year:
- The superior quality of A4 size paper, the dimensions of which have been specified in the circular, is to be used in pleadings, petitions, affidavits and other documents filed in the Supreme Court. The dimensions of the font to be used for the printed text as well as margin size has also been specified in the circular.
- All communications from the Court Registry to the Advocates-on-Record concerned will be sent by e-mail, followed by an SMS alert. The circular specifies, “the practice of sending the communication through hard copy shall be discontinued by the Registry.”
- Miscellaneous applications, review petitions, curative petitions and contempt petitions indisposed of matters may be accepted by the Court registry in a 1+1 format – i.e. 1 set of original papers + 1 paperback. After the defects are cured, the rest of the paperbacks shall be filed
- A common index shall be placed in the first volume in case there is more that one volume in a matter. A separate index of each volume shall be placed in the respective volume (s)
On January 14, the Court had issued a circular informing that such measures will be implemented on the administrative side. It had stated,
“With a view to bring uniformity about use of paper in day-to-day working on the administrative side, to minimize consumption of paper and consequently to save the Environment, Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India has been pleased to direct that henceforth, the Registry shall use A4 size paper (on both sides) for internal communications at all levels in the Registry.”
January 14 Circular
The circular further urged that sincere and earnest efforts must be made for the economical consumption of paper, by using both sides of the papers, while also ensuring that the content is legible on both sides.
At the time, however, it was intimated that all pleadings and other documents filed in the Registry on the judicial side would continue to be governed by the Supreme Court Rules of 2013.
Last month, however, the Court allowed the filings to be made in A4 size and with print on both sides. The decision was taken following a meeting of the judges of the Committee of rationalization of the use of papers with members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association (SCAORA).
