The Supreme Court of India recently directed its registry to refrain from referring to trial courts as 'lower courts' in any communication or reference [Sakhawat vs State of Uttar Pradesh].A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the direction while hearing a criminal appeal filed by convicts in a murder case."It will be appropriate if the Registry of this Court stops referring to the Trial Courts as ‘Lower Courts’. Even the record of the Trial Court should not be referred to as Lower Court Record (LCR). Instead, it should be referred as the Trial Court Record (TCR). The Registrar (Judicial) to take a note of this order. A copy of this order be sent to him," the top court said in its order.In November 2022, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud had also said that district courts should not be called subordinate courts and that all these courts play an integral role in the justice system.The CJI had also said that the judges of the higher courts should change their mindset in how the perceive the district judiciary as "subordinate" judiciary.Senior Advocate and Additional Advocate General of UP Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad represented the State of Uttar Pradesh. Senior Advocate Manoj Prasad represented the petitioner.
TAGS: Supreme Court Trial Courts Lower Courts Sakhawat vs State of Uttar Pradesh Justices Abhay S Oka Ujjal Bhuyan Murder Case Appeal Registrar (Judicial)
