Advocates, litigants can file applications, replies online: Delhi HC inaugurates e-filing facility

New Delhi [India], June 13 : The Delhi High Court on Saturday inaugurated the e-filing facility allowing advocates and litigants the liberty to be able to file applications, documents, reply and rejoinder from anywhere and anytime online.
The online e-filing facility was inaugurated by Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel via webinar.
"The online e-filing is a part of the High Court's ongoing effort to quickly adapt itself to a difficult situation that has arisen because of coronavirus pandemic. This facility will enable lawyers and litigants to file their cases round the clock. This will also reduce the footfall in court premises which is today the need of the hour, a press statement said.
The software installed makes provision for e-filing of not only the main case but also for filing of applications, documents and caveat. This software also enables the registry to scrutinise filings, point out defects, mark and list matters via e-mode.
"We have, with the help of our internal team, developed a state of the art software for e-filing which enables the advocates and litigants to file their cases in digital soft copy at any time from anywhere without having to carry bulky paper files to e-filing counters," the statement said.
The e-filing software is a comprehensive application, which provides for paperless processing of cases from the stage of filing until the disposal. The integration of the electronic court-fee module is an added feature of the e-filing system.
The system has been developed by the IT Cell of the Delhi High Court and the officers of the National Informatics Centre posted at Delhi High Court. Its main objective of e-filing is to shift to a system of paperless courts, whereby from the institution of the action till its disposal and archival, no paper is used.
Such paperless courts will also remove various shortcomings of the paper-based system like storage, maintenance, wastage of a lot of paper and the world-wide move from paper to digital format, the statement said.
It said that with the unveiling of the e-filing system, the High Court has attempted to take the autonomy of the common litigant to file actions to the next level.
The special features of the software include cases, applications, documents, reply and rejoinder can be filed from anywhere and anytime and cases can be filed in any jurisdiction.
Advocates and litigants can also register themselves while sitting at home and the option of password reset also available.
The main case, application, documents and caveat can be filed conveniently. The name of the scrutiny assistant is also displayed in the inbox. Status of previously filed cases, fresh cases and caveats can also be found at a click of a button.
The Practice Directions, along with a tutorial video, has also been uploaded on the Delhi High Court website explaining how to use the software and procedure for registration, making the document OCR searchable, appending digital signatures, book-marking the document and filing caveat.