A noteworthy change is that attorneys in the districts of Palamu, Dumka, and Pakur will no longer have to physically show up in person for arguments before the High Court. Yesterday saw the High Court’s Chief Justice, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, inaugurate a virtual platform for these three districts.
The initiative, which enables attorneys from these regions to present their cases directly from their respective locations, has been welcomed by the bar associations of Pakur, Dumka, and Palamu. The online launch was kicked off by Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra in front of a number of judges and legal experts, including Advocate General Rajeev Ranjan.The High Court’s Computer and Digitization Committee has made the decision to use the district courts’ current e-service centres for virtual hearings.
This ruling attempts to improve accessibility for solicitors in these districts and expedite the legal system. However, there have been initial difficulties with e-filing for new cases, including stamp reporting and error resolution, which has caused a temporary suspension of service centre operations. Following the required consultations and resolutions, it has been decided to resume and improve e-filing services after extensive discussions with all stakeholders.
The Jharkhand High Court Bar Association, on the other hand, has disassociated itself from the inauguration, claiming that the High Court did not confer with the association prior to putting the new system into place. The lack of resources for High Court advocates to represent cases from district courts in virtual hearings has drawn criticism, and some technical details have been disregarded. The legal community expects more debates and decisions to address these issues, guaranteeing a smooth move to the online platform and improving the effectiveness of court cases in the digital age.
