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“Court appearances are often a prerequisite for eligibility in District Bar Association elections, whether as candidates or voters. The apparent absence of a uniform protocol across District Courts in this regard, calls for immediate rectification”, the court highlighted.
The Delhi High Court, recently, directed all district courts in Delhi to facilitate a mechanism akin to the ‘drop-box’ system for advocates appearing in person, or ‘chat box’ used during video conferencing hearings.
“To facilitate this process, a mechanism similar to the ‘drop-box’ system for advocates appearing in person, or the ‘chat box’ used in video conferencing hearings at the High Court of Delhi, could be implemented”, the bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula held.
An advocate named Ranjeet Kumar Thakur approached the court seeking to formalize the practice of recording the names of advocates representing parties in court proceedings. The Petitioner, a practicing advocate and member of the New Delhi Bar Association, was aggrieved due to his name being excluded from the orders rendered by Patiala House Court.
The court noted that such records acknowledge an advocate's attendance and participation in hearings. The court also observed that such records also constituted the basis for the eligibility requirement for the allotment of chambers in district courts.
Furthermore, the court highlighted that court appearances often served as a prerequisite for eligibility in District Bar Association elections, both for candidates and voters. The evident lack of a uniform protocol across District Courts regarding this matter necessitated immediate rectification, the court emphasized.
Consequently, the court deemed it necessary to intervene and issued appropriate directions to standardize this practice across all District Courts in Delhi. This intervention aimed to streamline the submission of names of advocates present during court proceedings, creating an accurate and consistent record across all District Courts, thereby ensuring transparency and protecting the professional interests of advocates.
Accordingly, the court directed the Principal District and Sessions Judge (Headquarters) to issue necessary instructions to all District Courts, ensuring that the appearances of advocates were properly recorded in the order sheets.
To facilitate this process, a mechanism similar to the ‘drop-box’ system for advocates appearing in person or the ‘chat box’ utilized in video conferencing hearings at the High Court of Delhi could be implemented, the court added.
Case Title: Ranjeet Kumar Thakur v Union (W.P.(C) 13188/2024)
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