Justice Ministry ends electronic notification system for Cabinet and PM

The departments responsible for issuing judicial notices and delivering legal documents, under the Courts Sector at the Ministry of Justice, have notified litigants that electronic notifications to the Cabinet and His Highness the Prime Minister are no longer accepted for judicial papers and pre-lawsuit notices.

Officials clarified that any judicial notice intended for the Cabinet or the Prime Minister must now be delivered through traditional methods, effectively ending the use of the electronic receipt system, which had been in place for approximately two and a half years.

According to official sources speaking to Al Jarida, the shift away from digital delivery began this month without any clear technical justification. The previous system involved delivering notices to the Cabinet via its official email, streamlining judicial communication.

However, court representatives are now being refused receipt when attempting to submit these notices to the Cabinet, prompting them to redirect the documents to police stations or, in some cases, the Public Prosecution—a notable departure from prior procedure.

Sources also highlighted that the Fatwa and Legislation Department refuses to accept warnings, asserting that it is only responsible for receiving judicial papers, not warnings. Nonetheless, official entities and ministries continue to receive such documents in person, in line with the Code of Civil Procedure, which was amended in 2020 to allow for electronic delivery of legal papers and warnings.

This administrative change raises concerns about efficiency and legal consistency, particularly given the absence of any formal explanation for the reversal of digital practices in a time of ongoing digital transformation within the judiciary.