Annual Report 2024

District Judges’ Conference, 2024

Like the previous year, the District Judges’ Conference was held by the High Court of Orissa in 2024. The two and half day’s conference was held at Odisha Judicial Academy, Cuttack where 49 agenda items were taken for deliberation. It was inaugurated on 28th June, 2024 by Justice Chakradhari Saran Singh, Chief Justice, The High Court of Orissa in presence of all sitting and former Judges of the High Court of Orissa, Cuttack. The Annual Report, 2023 published by the High Court of Orissa was released in the inaugural function of the Conference.

Interactions were held with Special Judge, Special Court, Cuttack & Bhubaneswar, Judge, CBI Court No. 1, Director-cum-Addl. D.G. of Police (Vigilance), Odisha, all presiding Officers of the Tribunals of the State, Commissioner of Endowments, Bhubaneswar on 26th June, 2024 through virtual mode as a part of the District Judges’ Conference, 2024. Issues relating to the functioning such as “pendency and delay in disposal of cases”, “fast-tracking the trial of vigilance cases”, “Implementation of instruction imparted in the District Judges’ Conference, 2023” etc. were discussed. After detailed deliberations, suitable instructions were imparted to all concerned including the Director, State Vigilance Organization, Odisha, Cuttack. The Presiding Officers were advised interalia to take up old cases on board on priority basis. The Presiding Officers of all the Tribunals were instructed to impress upon different aspects like infrastructural facilities, digitization of case records, filling up the vacant posts in different Tribunals, submission of list of stayed cases, allocation of land for construction of court buildings and provision of budget to meet contingency etc.

The Conference was held on 29th June, 2024 and 30th June, 2024 in seven sessions imparting a number of resolutions in various aspects.
The Chief Development Commissioner, Govt. of Odisha, the Addl. Chief Secretary, Home Department, the Addl. Chief Secretary, G.A. & P.G. Department, the Addl. Chief Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Principal Secretary, Law Department, Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Principal Secretary, Labour & ESI Department, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Transport Department, Principal Secretary, Works Department, Principal Secretary, ST & SC, Minority & Backward Classes Department, Principal Secretary, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Cooperation and other Govt. officials also attended the session on 30th June, 2024.

The Conference

All sitting Judges of the High Court of Orissa, all the Principal Dist. & Sessions Judges & all Chief Judicial Magistrates of the State, Principal Secy. to Govt., Law Department., Odisha, Bhubaneswar, Director, OJA, Cuttack & Member Secretary, OSLSA, Cuttack had attended the Conference. Various issues related to judicial administration were discussed. The broad heads of issues discussed in the conference and the resolutions adopted & concurred by the High Court of Orissa in the administrative side are indicated below.

  1. Issues pertaining to E-initiatives
    • Creation of software for District Court Guard Files.
    • Online certified copy application for District Courts.
    • Disposal/removal of video recordings of the evidence of witnesses as per V.C. Rules, 2020.
    • Creation of Software/ Platform for e-service of summons on the official witnesses.
    • Provision of digitization room in each District Court Complex and Dragon Legal Speech recognition software to Judicial Officers.
    • Challenges faced in the functioning of paperless courts.
    • Provision of Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) in the campus of the District Courts.
    • Effectiveness and challenges in e-service of the summons through NSTEP.
    • Uploading of daily orders in Case Information System.
    • Implementation of paperless office in the District Judiciary for inter/intra District Communication as well as communication between High Court and District Courts and to integrate leave management system through OJWAS.
    • Suitable instructions were imparted to the District Judges pursuant to the resolutions passed.
  2. G.R.C.O (Civil and Criminal) and Practice Directions
    • Proposed amendments/deletions of rules under GR & CO (Criminal) & (Civil).
    • Incorporation of specific provisions for the staff of the District Courts of the State including the retired staff for not making any direct correspondence with the High Court.
    • Incorporation of the specific form of register of Writs for Salaried Amins as per rule 186-A of G.R. & C.O (Civil) Vol-I.
    • Destruction of case records of the District Courts after digitization, accessing the DMS (Document Management System) for issuance of certified copies and necessary amendment to be made in the G.R. & C.O (Civil & Criminal).
    • Amendments in the rules of G.R. & C.O. (Criminal) & (Civil) Vol-I relating to destruction and preservation of records.
    • Admissibility of T.A. to the guardian adlitem both in original suit and in appeal as admissible to the officers of the Second Grade under ORSP Rules, 2017 for the days for which he may be away from Headquarters in consonance with rule 219 of G.R. & C.O. (Civil) Vol-I.
    • Computer System or other suitable method for recording depositions and memoranda of evidence and each page must be signed by the Presiding Judge under rule 111 of G.R. & C.O. (Civil) Vol-I.
    • Enhancement of value/charge of photocopy paper under rule 254-A (4) and (5) G.R. & C.O. (Criminal) Vol-I.
    • For placing of records into dormant file awaiting execution of memo of apprehension against the CICLs under Rule -326 Sub- rule (b) and (d) of G.R. & C.O. (Criminal) Vol-I.
  3. IMiscellaneous Issues
    • Maintenance of CCRs of all District and Civil Court Staff except those belonging to Group-D cadre appended in the guidelines at Annexure-II.
    • Determination of mechanism in relation to the advance copies of appeals received from staff working in the District and Civil Court including retired staff.
    • Guidelines to deal with the complaints received against the staff of the District Courts:-
    • Not to entertain complaints/allegations unless it is accompanied by duly sworn affidavit.
    • If complaints not accompanied with affidavit are received and action is deemed to be necessary; further steps to be taken after satisfaction of the High Court.
    • If complaints received having grave and serious allegation but not accompanied with affidavit and action is deemed to be necessary; further steps to be taken after satisfaction of the District Judge.
    • Nomination of District Judges as members of the Review Committee for different Judgeships to review performance of employees attaining the age of 50/55/58 years, as the case may be.
    • Introduction of biometric system of attendance for the staff of District Judiciary.
    • To adopt uniform logo for the District Judges, Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Civil Judge (Jr. Divn.) working in the District Courts for making official correspondence.
    • Creation of leave reserve posts in Ministerial Service Cadre of the District Courts i.e. 10% of the sanctioned strength at the base level.
    • Creation of different posts in ministerial cadre in District Courts.
    • Creation of dedicated posts in establishment of District & Sessions Judge for the purpose of statistical data.
    • Provision of separate statistical section in the District Judges’ Administrative Office along with creation of different posts in the establishment of all District & Sessions Judges.
    • Creation of a dedicated team of staff for inspection of the Courts by the District Judges and CJMs.
  4. Proposed Amendments
    • Proposal for amendment of the Odisha District and Subordinate Courts’ Non-Judicial Staff Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Services) Rules, 2008.
    • To fill up 25% vacancies in the posts of Jr. Clerks of that particular recruitment year from the Group-D Employees who possess requisite qualification in ratio of 1:2 for Process Servers and other Group-“D” employees respectively as per method of selection to be decided by District Recruitment Committee under Rule 4(a) of Odisha District and Civil Courts’ Judicial Staff Services (Method of recruitment and Conditions of Service), Rules, 2008.
    • Substitution of word “Administrative Officer” with “Chief Administrative Officer” other than the court of District Judges of all the Judgeship in Rule 17(2) of “The Odisha District and Civil Courts’ Judicial Staff Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2008.
    • No enhancement of minimum age of candidates for recruitment to different posts under “The Odisha District and Civil Courts’ Judicial Staff Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2008.
    • Inclusion of word “/other” after the word “Female” in Serial No. 3 of Form-A (Format of Application) of The Odisha District and Civil Courts’ Judicial Staff Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2008.
  5. Inspection, Yardstick & Statistical Returns of Courts
    • Consideration of the proposal to take suo moto steps by the District Judge for transfer of cases involving UTPs and other cases targeted by the higher forums from the vacant courts.
    • Fixation of two days for annual inspection for all courts and amendment thereto in Rule 524 of G.R. & C.O (Civil) Vol-I and Rule 368 of G.R. & C.O. (Criminal) Vol-I.
    • Modified yardstick prescribed for the Judge, Family Court in the year 2020 vide notification No. 906/R dtd. 17.08.2020, the word “except the cases dismissed for default” to be added after the word “Family Courts Act” in serial No. A 14(2).
    • The Addl. District & Sessions Judge at the outlying station has been entrusted with the work of inspection of the subordinate courts at the discretion of District & Sessions Judge under Rule 581 of G.R. & C.O. (Civil) Vol-I.
    • Disposal of Sessions cases under Section 232 Cr.P.C. be treated as contested case and 3 days yardstick to be given.
    • Calculation sheet of yardstick shall be attached with quarterly, half-yearly and annual statements for the Judicial Officers.
  6. Budget, Planning and Expenditure
    • Grant of permanent advance/ imprest to District Courts to meet contingent and emergency expenditure of their respective establishment under Rule 459 of O.G.F.R, 2023.
    • Declaration of Special Judge (Vigilance), Judge, Family Court and Civil Judges of Taluk Courts as Heads of Offices/ DDOs and allotment of DDO code to move State Govt. online in DDO Management Module.
    • Enhancement of Interpreter fees in the scale of skilled person as declared by the Govt. of Odisha in Labour Department notification and amendment to be made in G.R. & C.O. (Civil and Criminal) Vol-I.
    • Preparation of budget, practice and procedure and bottleneck in utilization of funds. Madhusudan Das Regional Academy of Financial Management shall impart seven days refresher training to DDOs on the above aspects.
  7. Infrastructure
    • Provision of wired/wireless intercom facilities in the Court Buildings of all the Judgeships of the State for smooth functioning of the official work along with formulation of modalities for installation thereof.
    • The District Judge has been authorized to declare the senior most Judicial Officer at the outlying station and C.J.(JD)-Cum-JMFC of the single station as Judge-in-Charge, Buildings of their respective establishments in consonance with Rule 527-A G.R. & C.O. (Civil) Volume-I.