Implementing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for filing Special Leave Petition (SLP) paper books streamlines legal proceedings, ensuring consistency and efficiency in documentation. This structured approach benefits the Supreme Court by reducing errors, facilitating faster case reviews, and enhancing overall judicial process effectiveness.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently emphasized the need to establish a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to improve the organization of paper books documents containing pleadings and other relevant materials, especially in cases derived from Special leave petitions (SLPs).
Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol observed that many paper books submitted to the court contain various errors, leading to practical difficulties in the judicial process.
Consequently, the Justices instructed the court’s Secretary General, along with the Registry and the Judicial Registrar (Judicial), to quickly develop an SOP, following guidance from the Chief Justice of India (CJI). This directive issued while the court was deciding a case related to appointments made by the Kerala Public Service Commission.
The bench highlighted persistent issues with the paper books, which include:
- Missing Orders: “The orders passed in the proceedings are not attached to the paper books,” leading to incomplete document sets.
- Inconsistent Rule Attachments: In service matters, “the counsel for the petitioners were not attaching the relevant rules with an appendix in the SLP paper books or even referring the same in pleadings,” causing delays and additional costs due to piecemeal filings.
- Unflagged Counter-Affidavits: Counter-affidavits are sometimes included in the main SLP paper book without adequate flagging or as separate books, necessitating time-consuming searches by judges.
- Delivery of Convenience Compilations: Directed compilations are not sent to judges’ residences in hard copy or via email, nor provided during hearings as required.
- Disorganized Application Attachments: “The IA number is not properly exhibited on its face,” and applications are not organized by date within the paper books, complicating judicial review.
- Various Ancillary Issues: Other recurring problems in paper books disrupt the court’s daily operations.
The court expressed its hope and trust that these issues would be addressed swiftly to enhance the court’s efficiency.
In their order dated April 16, the bench stated,
“We hope and trust, for efficient functioning of the Court, due compliance shall be made as expeditiously as possible,”
The primary objective of implementing SOPs for SLP paper books is to standardize the documentation process involved in filing petitions. This ensures that all submissions meet the required legal and procedural standards, which facilitates a smoother judicial review process.
The successful implementation of SOPs requires buy-in from all stakeholders, including senior lawyers, clerks, and administrative staff. It involves training sessions, pilot testing phases, and continuous feedback mechanisms to refine the procedures. Additionally, leveraging technology to automate parts of the process can further increase efficiency and reduce manual errors.
Read Also:Supreme Court: Issue Notices to OPSC and Odisha Government regarding ASO Exam Scam
By adopting such structured procedures for SLP paper books, the Supreme Court can achieve a more streamlined, effective, and error free judicial process. This not only benefits the lawyers and their clients by reducing the complexity and improving the predictability of legal outcomes but also enhances the overall functioning of the judiciary.
Read Order: [Anjumol VA and ors vs Kerala Public Service Commission and ors]