Kerala High Court Introduces E-Filing Services In Jails Enabling Prisoners To Digitally File Petitions & Appeals

Till now, the jail appeals, filed under Section 424 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and other petitions/applications were being prepared in the paper form. Thereafter, these would be sent to the High Court for filing.

Noting the absence of an electronic alternative to the same, Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar had given a direction to explore the possibility of facilitating e-filing of such appeals and petitions/applications of prisoners.

As a first step to implementation, a meeting was conducted by the Registrar-General of the High Court with the officials of the Prisons & Correctional Services Department. As a result of the meeting, a decision was taken to extend the e-filing facility of the High Court to the prison authorities. This would streamline the digital processing of jail appeals and other petitions/applications seeking judicial remedy including parole and furlough.

It was also decided to devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that is to be followed upon switching to the new system. Two separate SOPs were prepared by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) and IT Directorate, High Court respectively, detailing the procedures to be followed while adopting the new system.

The SOP prepared by KeLSA intends to establish uniformity across the jails with respect to the service of Legal Aid Defence Counsel lawyers, Jail Visiting Lawyers, transmission of necessary documents for appeal to the High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC) and other ancillary matters.

The SOP prepared by the IT Directorate, High Court aims to streamline the online filing of jail appeals using the CMS login credentials provided to the officer in-charge of the jail.

Currently, login credentials have been created for all 57 jails in the State in the Case Management System (CMS), handled by the High Court.

The Chief Justice has approved both SOPs and ordered to implement the e-filing in jails in accordance with the SOPs with effect from July 1, 2025.