Uttarakhand High Court Closes Plea Over Online FIR Access After Police Demonstrate App-Based System
High Court disposes a petition on suspended online FIR access after police showed FIRs can be viewed via the Citizen and Devbhoomi mobile apps.
Current Summary
According to a September 24 Law Trend report, the Uttarakhand High Court has disposed of a petition seeking restoration of public access to FIRs online, after the state police demonstrated before the court that FIR documents can be viewed and downloaded through its mobile applications. A division bench of Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay passed the order on Wednesday after members of the Uttarakhand Police technical team appeared in court and explained the procedure. The petition had been filed by Haridwar-based National Public Trust, which challenged the prolonged suspension of the public portal earlier used for viewing FIRs. Police officials told the court that FIRs can currently be accessed through the 'Citizen' and 'Devbhoomi' applications, and gave a live demonstration. The facility is presently available on Android devices only, not on Apple phones; users must download the Devbhoomi app, log in with required details and upload a selfie to view and download an FIR. At an earlier hearing the High Court had questioned the police department over compliance with a Supreme Court direction that FIRs, barring specified exceptions, be uploaded online. The report does not disclose why the earlier public portal was suspended or a timeline for extending the facility to Apple devices.
What We Know
- The Uttarakhand High Court disposed of a petition filed by Haridwar-based National Public Trust over suspended online public access to FIRs.
- Police demonstrated in court that FIRs can be accessed via the 'Citizen' and 'Devbhoomi' mobile apps, currently available only on Android.
- Users must log in to the Devbhoomi app, submit details and upload a selfie to view and download an FIR.
- The order was passed by a division bench of Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay.
- The High Court had earlier questioned police compliance with a Supreme Court direction to upload FIRs online.
What Is Still Unclear
- Why the earlier public FIR web portal was suspended.
- Whether or when the app-based facility will be extended to Apple devices.
Citizens seeking FIR copies online can currently use the 'Citizen' or 'Devbhoomi' Android apps; the facility is not yet available on iOS.
What Changed
- 24 Sept, 05:31 amSignal detected: Uttarakhand High Court Closes Plea Over Online FIR Access After Police Demonstrate App-Based System
Background
The Supreme Court has directed that FIRs, except those falling within specified exceptions, be uploaded online for public access.