Website of the Supreme Court of India need lot of improvement- red tapism still continue.

[CA DEV KUMAR KOTHARI]

Expectations from website of the Supreme Court of India:

Citizens of India and also of other countries expect that the website of the Supreme Court of India must be up to date in content and also search and other features. However, we find that there are many lacking in the website. For example search of judgment is a very important feature and is useful for all who want to know judgment in particular case or under particular law.

Relevance can be world over:

Judgments of the Supreme Court of any Country can be useful references in other countries also. Our Country is second largest country by population therefore, importance of judgments of the Supreme Court of India is of paramount for citizens of other countries also who have dealings with Indian citizens and Indian organizations, Central and State  Governments, Municipal Corporations etc.

Results of search are not proper:

The facility of searches on any website is very important. If search facility is not good, the contents will not be useful for the reader because unless a content is found in search it cannot be read.

Unfortunately we find that many times on search of judgments or case status/ orders etc. on the website of the Supreme Court, with various criterion we find that the result shown is wrong or inappropriate. This shows that there are technical snags in the software and system for operation of website of the Supreme Court of India.

For example search on 19.04.2020:

Author was looking for full judgment dt. 22.11.2019 (and other orders , if any in that case) passed in the case of SUMAN PODDAR VERSUS INCOME TAX OFFICER, final order in  which was reported as  2019 (11) TMI 1237 - SC ORDER .

Author did not find order in various searches except in search by free text-  which one will hardly use if other specific search gives result). The results of search are shown below:

Search on website of SC on 19.04.2020 at about 19:10 hours onwards:

Search by party name and dates – result “no record found” see the print scan page below:

Search by Act and dates – result no record found

Search by case number and year – result – no record found:

Search for judgments of the particular date that is 22.11.2019 was made , in that four results are shown and that does not include Suman Poddars case. The search result page is enclosed as a separate page printed from webpage.

Search by name of judges:

The link and column honorable judges name was not working so  name of judges could not be selected as drop link did not appears so search could not be completed.

Search with free text  with Suman Poddar and dates shows order dt.22.11.2019

Below this result a link in red colour is found as PDF. However, this is not appearing in print scan. On clicking PDF link, order is found and the link of the order is as follows:

https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2019/39588/39588_2019_4_18_18422_Order_22-Nov-2019.pdf

This exercise shows that how time consuming is the process of search of judgments of the Supreme Court of India even after all efforts we may not find a judgment or order on the website. In any case we cannot be sure as to whether we could gather copy of all orders and relevant information.

Earlier experience with the website and with Registry office of the Supreme Court:

On 13th January,2019 I had written by email to the Supreme Court about some orders/ judgments which could not be found on website. I requested to provide a copy and also to upload the same. However, The Assistant Registrar, replied denying that no action can be taken on email.  Reply received from SC and my response are given below reply from  email id

	sec.xiia@sci.nic.in
Mon, Jan 28, 2019, 4:45 PM

From:

The Assistant Registrar,

Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.

To,

CIVIL APPEAL No. 2697 OF 1989

M/S. ELECTRONICS CORPN. OF INDIA LTD.	VERSUS	... Appellants(s)
COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX AND ANOTHER		... Respondent(s)

Sir,

With reference to your e-mail received on 13th January,2019 in the matter above mentioned, I am to inform you that no action can be taken on the same as they have been received here by an e-mail in contravention of the mandatory provisions of Order VIII Rule 5 and 6 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, all plaints, petitions, appeal,or other documents are required to file at the filing counter of the Registry and ,therefore,no action can be taken on your above said letter received by an e-mail.

Please also note no further corresspondence in this behalf will be entertained in future.

Yours faithfully,

sd/-

ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

Authors reply on   Mon, Jan 28, 2019, 7:41 PM

to:	sec.xiia@sci.nic.in
cc:	supremecourt@nic.in

Dear sirs, 

Thanks for reply. 

Please keep pace with technology in this regard also so that public can get copy of orders and judgment easily.

The judgment can be uploaded so that it is available to public.

An order or judgment is show as passed but it is not available on website of honourable Supreme Court. 

Is it not indicator of lot of improvement desired in technical and legal upgradation.  

Hope for  further  improvements so that life of public is made easy.

With best wishes, 

Devkumar kothari

 

Observations of author:

It seems that there is no improvement even after similar matter was brought to the notice of concerned authorities of the Supreme Court of India.