The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday issued significant directions prescribing certain uniform formatting requirements for pleadings filed before it.

The Court has mandated that English pleadings must be typed in Times New Roman font, size 14, with double line spacing and Hindi pleadings must use a Unicode font, size 14, with the same line spacing.

The directions, which will come into effect from November 12, 2026, will apply to all petitions, affidavits, counter-affidavits, applications and pleadings filed before the High Court.

The Court has clarified that the requirements will apply equally to physical filings.

A Bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prashad issued the directions while dealing with a writ petition concerning a house-tax assessment dispute.

While perusing the petition, the Court noted the lack of uniformity in the formatting of pleadings. The Bench noted that the existing provisions and e-filing instructions did not provide a uniform format applicable to both physical and electronic filings.

"The lack of uniformity affects readability and the orderly presentation of the record. It has, therefore, become necessary to issue directions in this regard so as to bring uniformity in the manner in which pleadings are presented before the Court", the Court observed.

The Court has also specified the permissible use of bold and italic type in pleadings. It directed that Bold type shall be used only for the marking or description of annexures in the pleadings and in the index. No other part of a pleading shall be set in bold type.

Similarly, it directed that Italic type may be used only for extracts reproduced in a pleading and for references to courts or statutory provisions. The prayer or relief clause shall not be italicized. Italic type shall not be used elsewhere

The Court further clarified that the margins prescribed under the applicable Rules and e-Filing Instructions will continue to apply.

While examining the requirements governing the presentation of pleadings, the Court also referred to the relevant provisions of the Allahabad High Court Rules and the e-Filing Instructions

The Court directed the Registrar General to circulate the order to all filing and scrutiny sections at the Principal Seat in Allahabad and the Lucknow Bench and to bring the directions to the notice of the Bar.

The Stamp Reporting Sections have been directed to scrutinize pleadings in accordance with the prescribed requirements with effect from November 12, 2026.