Code of Conduct: Introduction of new regulation on social media interaction of court officers and staff members.

Recently, the Kerala High Court has introduced a "Code of Conduct" for the Court Officers and all the staff members present at the respective High Court and the District Courts of Kerala in order to oversee their involvement and interference in social media and other public platforms.The Draft was approved by the Administrative Committee of the High Court in a meeting that was held on 22nd March 2021. The Code of Conduct states that:

1. The High Court will be having a Monitoring Cell that will ensure the proper use of computers and electronic systems present in the respective courts.

2. In case of any misuse of social media by court officers and all the staff members of the High Court and District Courts, the Monitor Cell will report the same to the Registrar General.

3. The Court Officers and the staff members will not be allowed to make or use any fake ID/bogus social media account.

4. The staff members should not indulge in any sort of the personal communication or usage of the cyber space during the office hours.

5. The staff members should refrain from using any malicious or derogatory statements or remarks against the contemplations of the government and its institutions or against any individual or group of individuals.

6. The staff members should not publish or post on social media from the proceedings, records or official actions from the official files of the courts.

7. The usage of the cyber space or the digital equipment’s for illegal activities like hacking etc. is prohibited.

8. Use of filthy and derogatory language is prohibited by the staff members on social platforms in cyber space.

9. No indulgence of the staff members in the criticism of the case laws or the judgments of the courts or judicial officers is appreciated.

10. There should be no use of the social media by the members which questions the integrity and proprietary of their position.