The Supreme Court of India on Thursday issued a comprehensive set of guidelines aimed at improving the retention and disposal of administrative records across all registry wings, in a move designed to enhance accountability, transparency, and operational efficiency. Long-standing disparities in the administration of non-judicial records within the administrative framework of the highest court are intended to be addressed by the recently introduced 'Guidelines for Retention and Destruction of Records 2025.'
In a formal statement, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai stated that the number and variety of administrative records generated by different branches of the Supreme Court has significantly increased over time. While Order LVI of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 and Chapter XXI of the Handbook on Practice and Office Procedure of the Supreme Court of India, 2017 already contain explicit provisions governing judicial records pertaining to case proceedings, there has long been a gap in the management of administrative records. The Chief Justice claims that this discrepancy has affected efficiency and clarity by resulting in different archival practices across departments.
Establishing a cohesive and logical framework for managing administrative materials, such as institutional decisions, policy implementations, internal communications, audits, and external engagements, is the goal of the new guidelines. The CJI underlined that improving transparency, reducing storage costs, and increasing the speed and precision of information retrieval all depend on effective record management. Through precisely specified retention periods, these guidelines seek to assure legal, financial, and administrative compliance and are in line with national standards for the management of public records.
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CJI Gavai expressed gratitude for the hard work of the important individuals involved and acknowledged the thorough internal consultation process that preceded the guidelines' publication. In particular, he commended Supreme Court Registrar Pradip Y Ladekar and his support staff for their crucial contribution to the guidelines' draughting. He also praised SC Munghate, an Officer on Special Duty with the rank of Secretary General, and Bharat Parashar, the Secretary General, for their leadership in directing the initiative's execution.
The new framework calls for the permanent preservation of specific document categories. These consist of policy files, office orders, and circular files, as well as original submission notes and paper books signed by the Chief Justice of India and other Supreme Court justices. Only after the conclusion of any court case, arbitration, investigation, or audit pertaining to those records will the retention period for all other records begin. Concerned branches must make sure that no related litigation is pending before beginning to destroy any files. The relevant branches must be notified as soon as a related court case is received if the files of one branch are linked to those of another, particularly if those files deal with confidential matters.
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The guidelines also stipulate that any department may only destroy and retain records with the consent of the relevant registrar. Preferably, this procedure should be carried out on court-approved partial working days or during summer breaks. Any decision to keep a scanned copy of a record after the allotted retention period must be made in writing and approved by the registrar at the time of destruction.
Additionally, for every fiscal year, which runs from April 1 to March 31, financial and budget-related documents must be kept separately. The calendar year, which runs from January 1 to December 31, must be followed when maintaining other records, such as registers and general documents. These planned schedules are intended to simplify administrative procedures and guarantee that the court's records management complies with national archival standards as well as internal policy.
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