Punjab and Haryana HC allows filing of non-urgent cases from Monday

The HC at present is hearing only those cases requiring urgent intervention and e-filing of the case files is allowed. Except for certain category of cases like bail matters, suspension of sentence applications, habeas corpus and petitions for protection, the cases are listed for hearing only after a mentioning or request for listing is made through the high court website. If the mentioning is allowed, the urgent cases are heard through video conferencing.

For filing of the ordinary cases, the HC has now created seven separate counters. However, in order to curtail the rush at the counters, it has ordered that advocates or their clerks or the parties-in-person are required to generate a token number from its official website. A slip prescribing the time for filing of case and mentioning the counter number will be given after submission of the particulars online, as per an order passed by the HC.

“The advocates/parties-in-person/clerks of the advocates shall be required to file the case on the ‘counter number’ provided in the ‘token number receipt’. The advocates, their clerks or parties-in-person are directed to adhere to the allotted time,” the order reads.

While the law offices of Punjab, Haryana and Union governments as well as the UT Administration are exempt from generation of the token number and are allowed to file their ordinary cases directly, all the advocates and parties-in-person have been ordered to ensure that they immediately move from the place after their case file is received for filing at the counter by the filing clerk.