Lawyers staging a protest in front of the Combined Court Complex in Coimbatore demanding cancellation of the e-filing system in courts on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M
Over 300 lawyers practising in the Combined Court Complex in Coimbatore staged a protest on Wednesday demanding withdrawal of the mandatory e-filing system in courts.
The lawyers covered their mouths with black ribbons as they staged the protest on the Government Arts College Road, based on calls from the Joint Advocates Association Action Committee (JAAC) and Coimbatore Bar Association (CBA). A large section of lawyers have been boycotting court proceedings demanding cancellation of the e-filing system.
In a letter to the Chief Justice of Madras High Court dated December 15, protesting lawyers stated that the internet server of the e-filing portal was not working properly multiple times a day. The portal was slow and unreliable even when it worked. This problem was being enhanced further due to poor internet connection at the user’s end.
Around 4,500 cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act could not be numbered by courts in Coimbatore alone after e-filing was made mandatory. This was delaying and denying justice, the letter said.
It stated that the district judiciary was not equipped with a stable, powerful internet connection and computers for many digital services. There were no adequate number of trained court staff for these purposes. The district judiciary also lacks a dedicated administrative machinery and Registry as the one available in the High Court.
According to the protesters, most of the lawyers cannot afford the required infrastructure for the e-filing, which requires a minimum investment of ₹2.5 lakh.
The protest was held under the leadership of JAAC chairman P. Nandakumar, CBA president R. Balakrishnan, JAAC vice-chairperson Thirugnanasambandam.
Published – December 17, 2025 07:51 pm IST
