Legally Bharat

Wondering if Delhi govt is shedding “crocodile tears” on the digitisation of district courts in the city, the high court on Monday said the “bureaucracy should do the needful.”

The court fixed a deadline for the planning department to take requisite steps for the release of funds for providing adequate infrastructure in Delhi district courts for hybrid hearings. It said that Delhi’s chief secretary and principal secretary of planning will remain present in court at the next hearing if approvals are not in place by then.

“Your file noting says something else but your actions show something else. Why is someone shedding crocodile tears? You accept the project impacts accessibility to the judiciary of common people. Still, it is moving from one committee to another,” a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed.

The court also pointed out that the project had been granted approvals at the highest levels yet it was not being cleared for implementation. “Bureaucracy should do the needful”, once courts and minister concerned have agreed to the digitisation plan, it underlined.

“We are refraining from dilating further on this subject, with an expectation that this brief interjection will steer the planning department officials,” the high court said as it posted the matter for further hearing in Oct.

The HC had earlier asked chief secretary to expedite the approval of Rs 387 crore for transforming 691 district-level courts in national capital into hybrid courts where in-person and virtual proceedings can take place, easing pressure on courtrooms. The court had emphasised the importance of implementing the project on a priority basis, stressing its significance for the efficient functioning of the judicial system.

On July 18, during the hearing, the court had also dismissed govt’s argument that financial approval must be routed through the cabinet. “Since the expenditure involved for the hybrid hearing is less than 500 crore and the policy of hybrid hearing has already been implemented in Delhi High Court, this court is of the view that Clause 9 of the Schedule (of Transaction of Business Rules) is not attracted and no mandatory cabinet approval is required. Further, the matter brooks no delay as technology becomes obsolete very fast,” it had pointed out.

  • Published On Oct 1, 2024 at 09:08 AM IST

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