Kerala High Court Allows the Use of A4 Sheets with Double Side Printing from November 2, 2020 [READ NOTIFICATION]

Through a notification issued on Tuesday (September 22, 2020), the Kerala High Court has paved way for the use of A4 sheets for filing petitions, affidavits, memoranda of appeal, and other proceedings before it. 

The High Court has said that all filings before it from November 2 onwards shall be mandatory be typewritten/printed on both sides of A4 sheets. 

The detailed specifications are as follows: -

Paper - A4 size paper (21.0×29.7 cms) having not less than 75 GSM. 

Page set up and margins- 3.5 cm on left and right; 2 cm on top and bottom.

The decision was taken after Kerala High Court Advocates' Association wrote a letter to the Chief Justice, urging him to switch over to A4 size papers with printing on both sides. 

Conceding to the request, the High Court said, 

"Minimising consumption of paper adds a positive impact on the environment. Besides, it reduces cost and needs lesser storage space. Further, A4 size paper reduces infrastructural investment in foolscap paper compatible printers. A4 size papers are internationally accepted, popular, easily available, and cheaper when compared to other sizes. "

Indian Courts have recently become active in upholding the environmental interests, by reducing the use of paper. 

The SC had permitted double-sided printing of A4 sheets in all filings in the SC, in February this year. 

Similarly, the use of A4 sheets with double-side printing is permitted in the High Courts of Calcutta and Tripura. 

The Delhi High Court and the Allahabad High Court have taken up this matter on the administrative side. 

The High Court of Madras and Rajasthan have done away with manual printing of manual cause lists and have started to make them readily available online. 

Inter alia, the High Court of Gujarat had issued a circular, permitting double-sided printing on papers in 15 areas of working in the Registry. 

 [READ NOTIFICATION]