The Delhi High Court has instructed district courts to accurately record advocates’ appearances in order sheets, addressing issues raised in a specific case. The directive includes implementing systems like ‘drop-box’ or ‘chat box’ features to streamline the process, ensuring transparency and protecting advocates’ interests across all district courts.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to district courts, emphasizing the importance of accurately recording advocates’ appearances in order sheets [Ranjeet Kumar Thakur vs UOI & Ors]. Justice Sanjeev Narula suggested adopting mechanisms like the ‘drop-box’ system for in-person appearances or the ‘chat box’ feature used during video conferencing in High Court hearings to streamline the process.
The Court ordered,
“The present petition is disposed of with a direction to the Principal District and Sessions Judge (Headquarters) to issue necessary instructions to all District Courts, ensuring that the appearances of advocates appearing before the court are properly recorded in the order sheets,”
The Delhi High Court was hearing a plea from an advocate challenging the exclusion of his name from orders issued by the Patiala House Court in cases where he had appeared. Despite multiple efforts to have his appearance recorded, district courts consistently omitted his name from the order sheets.
In contrast, the Principal District and Sessions Judge of Patiala House Court submitted a report to the High Court, stating that judges were recording advocates’ attendance in order sheets. However, the High Court emphasized the need to formalize and standardize the practice of recording the names of advocates representing parties in court proceedings.
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The Court ordered,
“Such records serve as acknowledgment of an advocate’s attendance and participation in the hearings and also forms the foundation for the eligibility requirement for allotment of chambers in district courts. Furthermore, 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 Delhi High Court directed the standardization of recording advocates’ appearances across all district courts to ensure accuracy, transparency, and protection of advocates’ professional interests. Advocate Ranjeet Kumar Thakur, represented by advocates Krishna Murari and Naresh Kumar, also appeared in person.
The Union of India was represented by Central Government Standing Counsel Nidhi Raman and her team. Several other legal representatives, including from the Bar Council of Delhi, participated in the case. New Delhi Bar Association Secretary ON Sharma also appeared in the matter.
Read the Order here: