With a view to secure uniformity of practice in the matter of making up bundles (bastas) of records and to economize space on the racks in judicial record-rooms the following instructions should be observed-(1)The vertical space between each shelf and the one next above it is generally 18 inches of which 15 ½ inches are available for storing records. If this is to be fully utilised, 14 inches should be filled, a blank space of 1 ½ inches being left to facilitate removal and return of bundles.(2)Bundles containing records of classes I and HI will be divided into three groups-(a)less than 2 years old;(b)from 2 years to 25 years old;(c)over 35 years old.(3)Bundles containing records of group (a) will be of such depth as the District Judge may from time to time prescribe.(4)Bundles containing records of group (b), when originally formed, will be not less than 6 or more than 7 inches deep, and will be arranged in pairs, one above the other, the depth of each pair not exceeding 12 ½ inches.(5)Bundles containing records of group (c) will be 14 inches deep.(6)Bundles containing records of class 11 will be divided into two groups-(a)less than 2 years old.(b)over 2 years old.Instructions (3) and (5) apply to bundles of groups (a) and (b) respectively.(7)Records of cases decided by Judges exercising Small Cause Court jurisdiction will be kept on a separate set of shelves, the bundles containing them being the same depth and arranged in the same manner as prescribed in instruction (4).(8)The cloth used for a bundle should be large enough to completely cover the records with it; convenient dimensions for one 7 inches deep are 3-1/2" x 1/2". To one corner of the cloth should be attached a piece of stout cotton twine of suitable length which, if passed tightly round the bundle breadth-wise, will both keep it compact and exclude dust. Such twine can be had in most headquarter stations and its purchase in the local market is permissible under stationery rules. The commonly practised method of closing a bundle by tying the four corners in a knot at the top makes it almost impossible to place one bundle immediately on the top of another and is prohibited.(9)Bundles will be reformed on passing from group (a) to group (b) and from the latter to group (c). new label being prepared accordingly.(10)The figures in instructions (4) and (5) will be modified at the discretion of the District Judge to suit racks in which the space between shelves available for storing bundles is greater or less than 15.5 inches.Adherence to the depths prescribed above is incompatible with placing all cases decided on the same date or in the same month in the same bundle. Records should be traced by their numbers in the record-room registers and the labels on each bundle should, therefore, furnish the following particulars only :(a)Designation of Court.(b)Month and year of disposal.(c)Record-room numbers.A specimen label is printed below :-Civil Judge (Class II), KatniNovember and December, 1989Nos. 401-470Cases decided in different calendar years should nevertheless always be kept in the same bundle where convenient unless the District Judge directs otherwise.
