FIRs should be uploaded online within 24 hours: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed all states and Union Territories to upload copies of each FIR online within 24 hours of registration.

The apex court clarified in its order, that not uploading of an FIR copy on website would not entail the accused to seek any benefit in court of law. However, the Supreme Court granted exemption to cases related to insurgency, terrorism and sexual offences.

The PIL was filed by Uttarakhand-based Youth Bar Association of India (YBAI) saying that it was necessary that every accused should get a copy of FIR so that he could get legal advice. The petitioner has stated that that a PIL was a public document, but to obtain a copy from police is not an easy task for the general public, so if the FIR was put on the websites then it would be in the larger public interest.

He cited an earlier apex court judgement which had said: "It is vitally necessary that an accused person should be granted a copy of the first information at the earliest possible state in order that he may get the benefit of legal advice."