"Digitally Sign Judgments/Orders To Show Authenticity; Watermarks Make Navigation A Nightmare": Supreme Court To HCs, Tribunals

Justice D. Y. Chandrachud on Monday expressed that High Courts and Tribunals must abstain from placing water-marks on their orders and judgments as it significantly hampers easy access to the document."You don't need watermarks to show authenticity. In today's date, the judgments can be digitally signed", said Justice Chandrachud.This remark came in the course of the hearing of a matter when the bench of Justices Chandrachud and MR Shah was perusing a decision of the NGT, which follows the practice of water marking its orders."It is very difficult to read water-marked orders. Especially on Mondays and Fridays, when we are going through 40 to 45 SLPs! Navigating through watermarks is a nightmare!", remarked Justice Chandrachud.Senior advocate V Giri, who was appearing in the matter, also pointed out that a lot of High Courts also tend to use water marks on their orders – "And the Madras and Telangana High Courts put it right in the middle of the page!", he commented."Yes, I know! This is the next project that we will take up in the Supreme Court E-Committee. You don't need watermarks to show the authenticity of the decision. In today's date, the document can be digitally signed. I will write to all the…", said Justice Chandrachud, who is the Chairman of the Supreme Court E-Committee."And some of them even use very small font", added Justice Shah."There is a particular member of the NCDRC, when I see his name, I get worried. His orders use a very tight, number 7 or 8 font, running across a 7-10 page judgment ", continued.Another senior advocate suggested the standardisation of the format for judgements and orders across High Court and tribunals. Justice Chandrachud replied that the said task is in progress.Urging all courts to endeavour to create an active environment for disabled lawyers, Justice Chandrachud had in December last year, inter alia, suggested that stamps and water marks should be placed on pages in such a manner that they don't hamper smooth access to the documents and that the practice of using watermarks on each page of judgements and orders should be done away with.

"Digitally Sign Judgments/Orders To Show Authenticity; Watermarks Make Navigation A Nightmare": Supreme Court To HCs, Tribunals

Mehal Jain

Tags