Filing of cases to soon go digital in Supreme Court

CJI Bobde made it clear during the meeting on Sunday that despite the coronavirus threat, there cannot be a complete shutdown of courts they will have to function though in a limited manner.

Filing of cases and court proceedings in the Supreme Court of India will soon go digital, the chairperson of the Supreme Court e-committee, justice DY Chandrachud said during a meeting held on Sunday to address the functioning of the court in the light of coronavirus threat.

Justice Chandrachud assured during the meeting that ‘people-to-people’ contact will be reduced in the Supreme Court by introducing court proceedings through video conferencing. (Sunil Saxena/ HT Photo)

The meeting was chaired by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and justices Arun Mishra, UU Lalit, DY Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao.

Justice Chandrachud assured during the meeting that ‘people-to-people’ contact will be reduced in the SC by introducing court proceedings through video conferencing. Importantly, filing of cases will also go paperless by way e-filing. Once video conferencing is introduced, smart televisions will be installed in the press lounge for the convenience of journalists, justice Chandrachud said.

Another meeting will be held on Wednesday this week to discuss further details regarding this. Steps to make the top court completely digital were initiated during the tenure of former CJI JS Khehar. However, after his retirement in August 2017, the project was put on backburner.

CJI Bobde made it clear during the meeting on Sunday that despite the coronavirus threat, there cannot be a complete shutdown of courts they will have to function though in a limited manner. The medical experts who attended the meeting issued a slew of directives to combat the spread of coronavirus which are likely to be implemented from March 16 when the court re-opens after its week long Holi break.