Madras High Court to stop the printing and distribution of cause lists [Read Circular]

The Madras High Court has intimated that it intends to do away with issuing printed cause lists from the next year. As informed in a circular issued by the Registrar (Judicial) yesterday,

"...the High court, Madras, has resolved to discontinue the printing and distribution of the manual case list through the Government Press with effect from 1st January, 2020."

Another press release issued yesterday states that the decision to discontinue printed cause lists was taken during a 2015 All India Chief Justices' Conference.

"The All India Chief Justices' Conference held during the year 2015, resolved to dispense with the printing of manual cause list by all the High Courts. Following the said resolution, many High Courts have dispensed with the printing and supply of manual cause lists."

Subsequently, it was resolved in a Full Court meeting of the High Court that the initiative would be adopted in the Madras High Court as well, in view of environmental interests.

The circular issued by the Registrar General, however, intimates that it is open to the State Government to extend facilities for printing cause list to the Bar including the finances for the same. In this regard, it is stated,

"Further, the negotiations undertaken between the Bar and the State Government can be pursued by the Bar and it will be open to the State Government to extend any such facilities to the Bar including the finances to be incurred thereon without burdening the High Court any further in this regard."

As per the press release, the initiative will commence from the principal Bench of the Madras High Court, and that printed versions of the cause lists will not be issued from January 1, 2020.

"In an attempt to go green, the Madras High Court, in the recent Full Court meeting, resolved to discontinue the printing and distribution of manual cause lists initially in its Principal Seat, through the Government Press, with effect from 01.01.2020 to the advocate subscribers."

However, an exception has been made for the Bar Associations of the High Court, which will get two printed copies each.

"... two printed copies of the entire daily cause lists will be made available at the four bar associations, viz., the Madras Bar Association, the Madras High Court Advocates Association, the Law Association and the Women Lawyers' Association."

[Read the Circular and the Press Release]