SC Orders High Courts to Boost Transparency with Judgment Timelines
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The Supreme Court has directed all high courts to increase transparency by providing detailed reports on the timelines of their judgments. This includes the dates when cases are reserved for verdict, judgments are pronounced, and when they are uploaded on court websites. The data will be made public to track the performance of each high court in delivering and publishing judgments. The goal is to make information accessible to the public, promoting institutional transparency and accountability. The court has welcomed a proposal to create a digital dashboard displaying the number of reserved and delivered judgments across all high courts. Reports from some high courts have already been received, while others are yet to comply. The court has given a four-week deadline for all high courts to submit their existing mechanism for bringing the required information into the public domain. The Supreme Court has also sought suggestions for standardising the format and improving disclosure practices. The initiative aims to address concerns over delays in judgment delivery and publication. The court has directed high courts to record key dates, including the date of reservation, pronouncement, and uploading, in every certified copy of their judgments. The system should provide a comprehensive view of judicial performance across all high courts, rather than focusing on individual litigants. The court has taken note of progress made so far and has directed the registrars general of six high courts to comply with the order or appear before the court on the next date of hearing. The ongoing exercise is expected to yield positive results, making the judiciary more transparent and accountable to the public.
