Nithyakalyani Narayanan. V
A third-year law student from Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Vikhyaat Maheshwari, wrote a letter to Secretary-General of the Supreme Court of India, Atul M. Kurhekar and Hon’ble Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, highlighting the necessity for consistency in the use of A4 papers with printing on both sides across all national judicial forums. He highlighted taking into account the significant savings in legal and environmental costs. The letter also emphasised the necessity of standardising A4 paper quality, size, specifications, margins, font styles, font size, line spacing, and other formatting requirements that must be adhered to across the legal system in accordance with the Supreme Court Circulars, dated January 14, 2020, and March 5, 2020 (F.No.01/Judl./2020).
The letter, a follow-up to one sent four years ago to then-Chief Justice Shri Ranjan Gogoi advocating for the use of A4 size paper with double printing to alleviate financial and environmental burdens, highlights the subsequent inconsistent application of the circular across various High Courts and District Courts. The letter also includes aggregated data and statistics that highlight the disparities in formatting styles and the lack of a uniform methodology, which have an effect on the legal system’s effectiveness.
The letter notes that just 22 of the 25 High Courts—each with different requirements—have given consideration to utilising A4 size paper. Of the 21 High Courts, 13 have issued orders, notifications, or circulars requiring printing on both sides; six have mandated printing on one side; the remaining High Courts have not made any specific statements (see page 23/84). The letter calls for the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s 2020 instructions by all High Courts and District Courts, with immediate action.
Mr Maheshwari has acknowledged the invaluable contribution of Mr Aman Singh, a first-year law student at DNLU, Mr Aashutosh Jagtap, a final-year law student at DNLU, and Ms Vibhuti Mittal, a fourth-year law student at DNLU.