Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
Justice AM Khanwilkar of the Supreme Court here on Sunday said that young lawyers should take to new technology to ensure easy and speedy justice for all.
"At present, a major change is being witnessed in the judicial process in the country. Online technology like virtual hearing and e-filing has made the judicial process easier. If young lawyers use it, then the common man will get easy access and speedy justice,” he said while addressing a symposium organised by Bar Council of India at Brilliant Convention Centre.
The theme of the symposium was 'Court's Technology and Access to Justice: Changing Perspectives'.
High Court Bar Council officials, lawyers and law students from all over the country participated in the seminar organised to advocate integration of technology into the judicial system for ensuring speedy justice.
Justice Khanwilkar said that if we have to stand at par with the justice system of developed countries, then we need to be proficient in skills like e-lawyer. “We have to ensure speedy and accessible justice by using existing technology,” he added.
Supporting Justice Khanwilkar's point of view, Justice JK Maheshwari of Supreme Court, said that integration of technology into judicial system started on a large scale in 2013 itself.
“At present, MP has the latest technology in its judicial system in the country but it lags behind in its use. The main reason for this is that the lawyer and the complainant cannot get access to this system. If the Bar Council addressed this issue, then the state will become the first state in the country to have technology driven judicial system.
Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court Prashant Mishra also addressed the programme. The outline was laid by BCI president Manan Kumar Mishra.
IT experts' services to be taken for better use of technology: MPHC Chief Justice
Justice Ravi Malimath, Chief Justice of MP High Court, said, "Judges, lawyers and petitioners have all been affected by court’s technology. “Many processes have been done online in the state. There are systems like GPS based digital clock, e-filing and online orders. For better use of technology in the court, the services of IT experts should be taken.”
Use mobile revolution
Justice Khanwilkar said to deal with the challenges in the Corona pandemic, virtual hearings, and e-courts were started. These practices need to be maintained. At present, mobile technology has reached the villages in the country. With this, information related to legal cases will start reaching the parties through mobile phones. If the court decisions reaches petitioner and respondents on their mobile phones, the system will become paperless because of which trees will be saved.
1.23 crore cases heard during the pandemic
During the pandemic period, 1.23 crore cases were heard through virtual hearings across the country, said Justice Maheshwari. Around 2.18 lakh cases were heard in the Supreme Court, and 67.28 lakh cases were heard in the High Courts. The rest were heard in the lower courts. If we look at the share of MP in this figure, 6.37 lakh cases were heard in the High Court and 6.73 lakh cases in the district courts in MP. It is less in proportion to the registered and pending cases. During the pandemic, only 27 per cent of the people could get justice. This good system developed during the Corona period. If the Bar Council provides training to lawyers, it will help in reducing the pendency of cases in future.
