Advocate Dwivendra Dubey writes to Borivali Court Registrar to increase the filing time till 4 pm
Mumbai: The daily struggle of lawyers racing against the clock to meet court deadlines has been formally challenged by a member of the Bar. In a significant move that has garnered widespread support from his peers, Advocate Dwivendra Devtadeen Dubey has submitted a formal appeal to the Registrar of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Court in Borivali, seeking an extension of the daily case filing deadline from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
The letter, dated May 27, 2025, argues that the current cutoff time is an archaic and impractical hurdle, disproportionately affecting specially-abled advocates and those practicing from distant parts of the metropolitan region.
A Systemic Hurdle for Many
In his detailed communication, Advocate Dwivendra Dubey delineated a series of interconnected problems stemming from the early deadline. He emphasized that the justice system should be accessible to all its practitioners to function effectively.
“For advocates with mobility challenges or other disabilities, navigating the court complex and completing procedures within this tight window is often a formidable task,” Dwivendra Dubey wrote. He further highlighted the plight of lawyers commuting from suburbs like Thane, Navi Mumbai, or the extended western line, for whom a single traffic snarl on the Western Express Highway or S.V. Road can mean a missed deadline and a wasted day.
The letter also sheds light on a frequent and frustrating modern-day obstacle: technical failures of the eCourt website. “It is a common occurrence for the filing portal to be slow or unresponsive, especially during peak hours leading up to the 2:00 PM cutoff,” Dwivendra Dubey stated. When this happens, even advocates who are physically present in the court complex are unable to file their matters. This forces them to return the following day, escalating their travel costs, wasting precious time, and, most critically, delaying justice for their clients.
“I have personally stood in the court complex, documents in hand, only to be turned away because the portal was down and the clock had struck 2:00 PM. This is not an isolated inconvenience; it is a systemic flaw that impacts the efficiency of our courts,” Dwivendra Dubey recounted, lending a personal testimony to a widely shared grievance.
Echoes of Support from the Legal Fraternity
The plea has struck a chord with the legal community in Borivali. Several advocates, when approached for comment, voiced their strong agreement.
“It’s a long-overdue reform,” said a senior lawyer on condition of anonymity. “The 2 PM deadline is a relic from a bygone era of physical filing. With the shift to e-filing, which can be done from anywhere, the time constraint feels even more arbitrary and restrictive. A two-hour extension would provide a crucial buffer.”
Another advocate, who uses a wheelchair, shared, “The constant pressure to beat the clock adds an unnecessary layer of stress to our professional duties. A more flexible timeline would be a welcome step towards a more inclusive and empathetic legal ecosystem.”
Broader Implications for Access to Justice
Legal experts suggest that the issue extends beyond mere lawyer convenience. Delays in filing petitions and applications have a direct trickle-down effect on litigants, for whom justice can be delayed in tangible ways—be it in a bail application, a civil suit, or a protective order.
“The court’s administrative rules are the scaffolding upon which justice is delivered. When those rules are inflexible and fail to account for ground realities, they can inadvertently become a barrier to justice itself,” observed a law professor from a Mumbai-based university. “An initiative like this, which seeks to modernize procedure for the digital age and accommodate human diversity, is a step in the right direction for a progressive judiciary.”
A Call for Administrative Empathy
The core of Advocate Dwivendra Dubey’s appeal is a request for a simple yet impactful administrative change: extending the filing window to 4:00 PM. He contends that this would democratize access to the court’s filing system, reduce operational friction, and align court hours with the practical realities of a modern legal practice.
The ball is now in the court of the court’s registry. The Registrar’s office is expected to review the letter and consider its merits, potentially in consultation with the presiding judges. The legal community in Borivali, and indeed across Mumbai, watches with anticipation, hoping this petition will lead to a positive and pragmatic resolution.
This appeal underscores a growing national conversation about modernizing India’s judicial infrastructure, making it not only more efficient but also more equitable and accessible for every stakeholder who seeks to use it.
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Agreed.
Its the need of the hour today