Orissa High Court Commences Uploading ‘Digitally Signed’ Copies Of Judgments & Orders On Its Website

The Orissa High Court has amended the Rules of the High Court of Orissa, 1948 to insert Chapter XXI-A under Part-V which introduces the system of ‘digitally signed copies’ of orders and judgments of the Court. Rules under the chapter mandate the secretarial staff preparing the order or judgment to append his/her digital signature on the soft copy of the order/judgment. The concerned staff is required to upload the digitally signed copy of the order/judgment on the website of the High Court on the same or the immediate next day after it is signed by the Judge.Additionally, on receipt of the online application for copy of pleading or other document of a case filed in the High Court, the Superintendent of the Copying Section or any other staff authorized in this behalf is now required to append his/her digital signature on the scanned copy of the required document. Thereafter, the copy shall be sent to the applicant online.The newly introduced Rule also clarifies that a digitally signed copy of an order or a judgment or pleading or any other document delivered online shall be treated as a certified copy thereof and be acted upon as such, subject to verification on the High Court’s website.Procedure for appending digital signature and uploading orders/judgments/other documents shall be fixed as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued under the Rule from time to time.Announcing the commencement of the system, the High Court Registry said,“While legacy records are being digitized in RRDC, digitization of pending records is complete and every new case, if filed physically, is being immediately digitized. Simultaneously, e-filing is being promoted by conducting hands-on training of lawyers and their clerks.”It also informed that a digital platform has been created in which lawyers or litigants can apply for certified copies of orders, judgments, pleadings and documents and get the copies online, without physically having to come to the High Court and pay any cost for it. “All the orders and judgments of the High Court from 1st May, 2023 are now available on the website with digital signatures which is the evidence of their authenticity. Digital signature is the digital equivalent of a handwritten signature and it bears the date and exact time of signature along with the designation of the signatory,” the press statement of the Registry added.The lawyers, litigants and the authorities before whom the copies are produced can verify the authenticity of the document from the website. It was also informed that a short instructive video about the procedure of verification will soon be uploaded on the High Court’s website.This new system is in addition to the existing system of delivery of physical copies. While online application is now optional for the private parties, it has been made mandatory for the central government, state government, public sector undertakings and urban and rural local bodies in the amended Rules.Click Here To Read/Download Notification

Orissa High Court Commences Uploading ‘Digitally Signed’ Copies Of Judgments & Orders On Its Website

Jyoti Prakash Dutta

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