Tech makes courts accountable, justice accessible, says CJI

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

The two-day national conference on judiciary and technology began here on Saturday with a cautionary note on ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) did not encroach upon the creative processes, while acknowledging technology’s crucial role in enhancing efficiency and bringing about transparency and breaking down geographical barriers that once limited access to justice.

Speaking at the inaugural session of “The Landscape of Technology in Courts in India and the Way Forward,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, “While we must welcome artificial intelligence for tasks that can be automated, we must ensure that it does not encroach upon the creative processes that are inherently human. In fact, I believe that artificial intelligence can never supplant these uniquely human endeavours. It can augment, but never replace the innovative spark, emotional intelligence and judgments that define humanity.”

At the onset, CJI Chandrachud traced the journey of the justice delivery system from an era just two decades ago when judges struggled with operating desktops to current advancements. The CJI recounted a conference from 2004, where desktop screens before judges remained blank throughout the session in the absence of technological knowhow. “So that was where we began, this was probably around 2004 or so, but how much we have now transformed as an institution and as individuals… Something that many people may not realise is that technology being a tool to have access to justice is not just a modern convenience or a trendy topic. It is deeply intertwined with the very foundations of our republic. Not only does the use of technology make our courts more accountable and responsive, it also brings people closer to the courtroom,” he asserted.

Justice Surya Kant and Justice Rajesh Bindal of the Supreme Court were also present. Justice Kant said the judiciary could not lag behind in embracing the transformable power of technology to meet the demands of a modern society. The integration of advanced technology into our judicial system was the need of the hour to enhance the overall efficiency of the courts and ensure access to timely justice.

“In my two-and-a-half-decade old journey into justice, I have witnessed first-hand the challenges and opportunities that technology brings to the judiciary. One of the most profound changes I have observed is the paradigm shift in how we perceive justice delivery in this age of technology. No longer confined to physical courtrooms, justice can now transcend geographical barriers, bringing legal reports with a reach of even the most remote corners of our nation. This democratisation of access to justice is a value that contributes towards a just system of law,” Justice Kant said.

Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Sheel Nagu listed during the conference a series of transformative technological initiatives designed to modernise the judicial system, including making Supreme Court reports accessible online, integrated case management information system to streamline case management, the online RTI portal and the translation of judgments into regional languages to enhance accessibility for a broader audience.

Punjabi popular

Punjabi is the second-most translated language for SC judgments after Hindi, reflecting love for “maa boli”. CJI Chandrachud said in all 69,841 judgments had been translated and uploaded, of which 20,119 were in Punjabi and 36,280 in Hindi.