Green ‘legal size’ paper junked for A4 sheets

MHC’s Registrar General P Dhanapal amended Rule 6 of the Civil Rules of Practice and Circular Orders that allowed the A4 size sheets for filing petitions and supporting documents in all the courts in the state. With the approval of the State Government, the amendment has come to effect as it was notified in the gazette.

“All plaints, written statements, applications, affidavits, memoranda of appeal and other proceedings presented to the court, shall be written, typewritten, or printed, fairly and legibly on stamped paper or on a substantially white A4 size paper not less than 75 GSM, or any other quality as may be prescribed from time to time instead of green or embossed paper and separate sheets shall be stitched together book-wise,” the notification reads.

It also allowed the petitioners to write or typewrite on both the sides of the A4 sheets and numbers shall be written in figures. Guidelines have also been issued about the size of margins. The new amendment by the MHC under the power conferred by section 22 of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908 has eliminated the British-era practise of using the ‘legal size’ sheets.

Welcoming the new amendment, Madras High Court Senior Advocate NGR Prasad said the move would be convenient for advocates. “A4 sheets will ease matters in judicial procedures. It’s a good decision. We welcome the move,” the advocate noted.