The bench has suggested that sub-rules 2 and 3 of Rule 5 of Order XX of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 be amended to effect the change.
The said rules presently call for the production of physical copies of original trial court records in criminal appeals involving a sentence of life imprisonment or death penalty. In other cases, the calling of such records is subject to specific orders of the concerned bench.
The bench has now proposed that the following changes be introduced so that electronic copies of such records can be produced:
i. Sub-rule 3 be amended to insert the words ‘soft copy’ before the words ‘original records’, resulting in e-copies of the Original Records being requisitioned. This would facilitate a much quicker availability of such records to the court and also further a more environmentally conscious approach.
ii. Further, by necessary amendment, such requisition of the soft copy of the record be extended to cases where leave is granted against an order of acquittal or conviction.
iii. Such soft copy of the records, once received be provided to the counsel appearing for the parties.
Source: Barandbench
