Virtual courts, digital workplaces and electronic case management amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have provided a rare opportunity to use technology to transform our legal system, said Supreme Court Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud. The use of technology will make the legal system “more efficient, inclusive, accessible and environmentally sound,” he said.
Judge Chandrachud, also chairman of the E-Committee of the Apex Court, made the remarks when he wrote the preface to the manual for using the free mobile application “E-Courts Services” in 14 languages. The E-Committee published the manuals in English and regional languages and explained all the functions of the app with screenshots to make it easier for the common man to understand.
The languages include English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarathi, Kannada, Khasi, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.
The recently released app has already exceeded 57 lakh downloads, according to a press release published on Sunday.
Justice Chandrachud emphasized the importance of the free mobile app and highlighted the reach of this community initiative.
“The Supreme Court’s e-committee has been a leader in introducing digital reforms to the legal field. For the past year or two, the shutdown pandemic has also pushed attorneys, judges and litigants to adopt high-tech solutions from offices and courts of law Lockdowns and Public Health Concerns.
“Virtual courts, digital workplaces and electronic case management have become an integral part of the practice and exercise of the legal profession remotely. This has given us the rare opportunity to use technology not only as a temporary measure, but to transform our legal system to make it more efficient , more inclusive, more accessible and more environmentally friendly, “he said.
The judiciary added that the mobile application of e-Courts Services was a step in this direction.
“The application will pave the way for optimizing our legal system in an ever-evolving digital world,” he said.
Barun Mitra, Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, who also wrote the preface to the manual, emphasized the importance of electronic case management tools for lawyers.
