SC Constitutes Committee To Submit Suggestions To Facilitate Timely Filing Of Appeals/Petitions By Convicts

The Supreme Court has constituted a committee of experts to submit suggestions to facilitate access to justice and timely filing of appeals/petitions by convicts through legal service institutions.

The Committee has been asked to submit a report within four weeks "with regard to digitization, translation and electronic transmission of records to facilitate access to justice and timely filing of appeals/SLPs by the convicts, by utilizing the Information and Communication Technology tools".

The Committee comprises :

1. Secretary (Ministry of Home Affairs), Government of India,
2. Director General, National Informatics Centre,
3. Member (Process), E-Committee, Supreme Court of India and
4. Member Secretary, NALSA

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, Justices L Nageswara Rao and Vineet Saran passed the order on January 19.

"We have noticed that in the special leave petitions filed by Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC) on behalf of the convicts, there is an inordinate delay which becomes difficult to condone. Needless to say, the situation brings about a lack of even-handedness in dealing with matters of condonation of delay. We see no reason why these delays should continue to occur particularly with the availability of tools provided by information and communication technology which are easily available", the bench observed in the order.

The bench had appointed Advocate Vibha Datta Makhija as amicus curiae in the matter. She submitted a report on January 15 in consultation with the SCLSC on measures to curb the delay.

"Valuable as that report is, we consider it appropriate to constitute a Committee comprising of certain experts who would examine all the suggestions and responses which may be received by it from the High Courts as well as the other stakeholders", the bench said.

The Committee has been asked to examine the report of the amicus as well as the responses of the High Courts.

The bench further observed :

"We have also gone through the Module and the Note dated16.10.2019 as per the report for timely filing of appeals/SLPs of convicts though the Legal Services Institutions. We therefore direct the High Courts to submit their responses to the Committee through their Registrars General within two weeks. The Committee shall submit its report within two weeks' thereafter. The Secretary General of this Court shall coordinate meetings of the Committee".

Also ordered in the same proceeding - Draft Rules Of Criminal Practice : Supreme Court Asks Registrar Generals Of High Courts To Appear If Response Not Given Within Two Weeks

Click here to read/download the order