Kerala high court launches e-filing system for 57 jails from July 1

Kochi: The Kerala High Court is embracing technology with a new e-filing system that will allow inmates from 57 jails across the state to submit appeals and legal applications digitally, starting July 1.

Until now, such filings were done manually on paper and then forwarded to the court. Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, noting the continued reliance on the paper-based system, directed officials to explore digital alternatives.

This led to a meeting between the Registrar-General of the High Court and the Prisons and Correctional Services Department, culminating in the decision to extend the court’s e-filing system to prison authorities.

To ensure a smooth transition to the new digital system, it was decided to implement a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlining the process. In this regard, two separate SOPs were prepared—one by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) and the other by the IT Directorate of the High Court.

KeLSA’s SOP focuses on ensuring consistency across jails in how legal services are delivered to inmates, including the transmission of appeal-related documents to the High Court Legal Services Committee (HCLSC) and other related processes.

Meanwhile, the SOP from the High Court’s IT Directorate outlines the technical workflow for e-filing jail appeals, utilising the Case Management System (CMS) credentials assigned to the designated jail officers.

All 57 jails in the state have now been issued CMS login credentials. With both SOPs formally approved by the Chief Justice, the High Court has ordered the e-filing system to be implemented across all jails starting July 1.

(inputs from IANS)