CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has said that process has started for making use of A4 size paper with both side printing mandatory instead of legal size paper used in all court documents throughout the State.
Two lawyers PS Chandralekha and Swayam Sidha Mohanty had filed a PIL seeking directions for the use of A4 size paper in the High Court and also in all other courts, tribunals and other judicial and quasi-judicial forums, sub-ordinate to it in the State.
The petition contended that making use of A4 size papers mandatory in place of legal size papers would bring uniformity about the use of paper and protect the environment by minimising the wastage of papers. Advocate Sidhartha Prasad Das argued on behalf the petitioners.
While disposing of the petition, the division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice BR Sarangi said, “This Court has been informed that the High Court, in administrative side, is already considering the matter and taking necessary steps. Therefore, we deem it appropriate not to keep this matter pending unnecessarily”.
According to the petition, a disorganised practice of using foolscap/legal size papers and A4 size papers for filing pleadings, petitions, affidavits and other documents renders the entire legal system of the State to be non-uniform and cumbersome.
“Besides, A4 size paper is easily and widely available in all places at a decent rate. The cost difference between the two papers levies a heavy financial burden on poor and weaker litigants from the underprivileged section of the society,” the petition said.