Allahabad HC suggests appointing digitally literate, young lawyers as research associates in Government Advocates office

The Allahabad High Court recently urged the Uttar Pradesh government to appoint young lawyers and fresh law graduates as honorary research associates to improve the efficiency of the Government Advocates' office and the office of the Joint Director of Prosecution..The directions came while hearing a bail application by an accused who has been in jail since January 2.During the proceedings, Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal noted delays in forwarding instructions from the investigating officer to the Government Advocate’s office. Notice of the bail application had been handed over to the government's office in February. However, the government's law officers did not have instructions from the police on their response to the bail plea until March 13. The Court found that the police investigating officer was negligent in sending instructions to the office of Government Advocate. The officer concerned was subsequently suspended, and an inquiry was ordered.However, considering administrative lapses noticed in the matter, the Court called for the appointment of tech-savvy, young lawyers as research associates to boost the efficiency of the Government Advocates' office. "For increasing efficiency in the Government Advocate's office as well as in the office of Joint Director, Prosecution, High Court Allahabad, young Advocates or fresh Law Graduates, who are well-versed with the computer and digital technology should be engaged on honorary basis as Research Associates just like State of Odisha (Office of Advocate General)," the Court said. .Notably, the Court also took note of submissions made by Additional Advocate General (AAG) Anoop Trivedi about the measures being taken to curb delays in responding to bail applications. The AAG informed the Court about the creation of an E-Manu App, designed to alert stakeholders and provide digitised access to case records. However, he added that staff shortages were delaying the scanning of criminal files and bail applications. The Court stressed the need to address these gaps and urged the State to increase the staff at the Government Advocates office. "The State Government should increase the strength of staffs in the office of Government Advocate so that real time data could be fed as well as scanning the other criminal files including the bail applications could be done, so that required instructions can be obtained from the police and other agencies expeditiously," it said. .The Court called on the Principal Secretary (Law) and Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh to look into this matter. .After addressing these administrative issues, the Court granted bail to the applicant on various conditions. The release order is to be communicated to the jail through the Bail Order Management System (BOMS) to enable swift release, the Court added. .Advocate Manish Yadav represented the bail applicant.AAG Anoop Trivedi, assisted by advocate Pankaj Saxena appeared on behalf of the State..[Read Order]