Delhi HC asks registry to adjust number of digital courts hearing cheque dishonour cases between North, North East district

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora in its April 16 order directed, “Keeping in view the fact that Digital NI Act Courts of North-West District and North District are operating from the same Court Complex, this Court directs the Registry of this Court to recalibrate the number of Digital Courts under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, in North and North-East Districts, so that each Court has more or less equal number of cases”.

‘Digital NI Act Courts’ were established to try and dispose of NI Act complaints in a paperless digital environment where hearings take place through video conferencing.

The petitioner’s counsel had argued that since November 17, 2020, 34 Digital NI Act Courts started operating across the eleven judicial districts in Delhi. He said that the digital courts are functioning but are facing difficulties in achieving their objectives, especially in the North district. He highlighted that the North district has only one Digital NI Act Court with a pendency of over “8000 cases”.

He stated that the Judicial Officer often faces connectivity problems with the “Layers portal and other equipment”, due to which matters get adjourned for a long period. The counsel stated that such adjournments are also given in matters which are at the stage of consideration.

The bench further directed the Principal District Judge, North District to ensure that the “connectivity problem with the layers portal is resolved by PWD at the earliest”.

It directed that the Principal District Judge, after obtaining a report from the authorities, shall file a status report with the High Court’s Registry within two weeks.

“Registry of this Court is also directed to file a status report before the next date of hearing,” the bench said. The matter is next listed on May 13.