Madras High Court Tops In Virtual Hearings, Judgment Translations: Justice M Sundar Says While Inaugurating New E-Filing Software

Relying on the statistical data as provided by the Supreme Court e-committee, Justice M Sundar said that the Madras High Court has had 14,35,227 hearings as of July 31^st, 2023 thus contributing to one-fifth of the total virtual hearings from among the 25 High Courts.

“Our in-house software team has been working tirelessly and we have been keeping pace with multiple e-projects be it digitisation or SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software), translation or virtual hearings, where Madras High court is topping the chart in the e-dashboard of the SC. On behalf of the committee, I deem it appropriate to mention two such activities. The newsletter of the committee of SC showing virtual hearing data as of 31^st, July 2023 we are topping the list at 14,35,227 out of 25 HCs. We are contributing one fifth of the total virtual hearing among the 25 High Courts. In SUVAS, regarding translation of judgments in regional language (Tamil), we are topping the list. We have been selected as one of the pilot courts and we are implementing it. We have done maximum translations and will continue doing it,” Justice Sundar said.

Talking about the new version of the e-filing portal, Justice Sundar said that the migration to the new version is a giant leap as the high court was going straight from version 1.0 to version 3.0. Justice Sundar added that the new version came with several new features like a separate login portal for advocate clerks, litigants, and government pleaders. He also listed out some other features of the new version which include, Litigant e-signatures, online oath recording, integrated online court fee payment and reduced data entry tabs, portfolio management for advocates, automated digitization, etc.

“This version provided by the e-committee of the SC has several unique features. It has a separate login for advocate clerks who are a nucleus for case filing according to us. It has a separate login for litigants and government pleaders. Litigant e-signatures, online oath recording, integrated online court fee payment and reduced data entry tabs, portfolio management for advocates, automated digitization to just name a few,” he said.

Talking about the e-bail bond manual, Justice Sundar said that the same evolved to reduce the time taken for production of bail bond and thus to ensure that the prison inmate is released on the same day when bail is granted. He further informed that the concept had been launched as a pilot project in the Tuticorin district and further improvements have been made based on the recommendation from the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

With respect to Digital Transmission of Trial Court Records Software, Justice Sundar said that using the software, when a record is called for by a higher forum or court, an electronic request form is generated which is then viewed by the concerned trial court. The trial court can then prepare the records and upload it digitally which can be accessed by the higher forum in the CIS software.

Talking at the event, Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala, who also inaugurated the new portal said that the new version would help in carrying the vision of the Chief Justice in making courts paperless and with the cooperation of the advocates would also help in making the Madras High Court top the e-filing chart.

“With the cooperation of advocates, I believe and I trust that we’ll also top the e-filing chart because that is the order of the day. The chief justice of India has a vision to make the courts paperless within a few years and that would be a reality. We cannot lag behind. I congratulate the computer committee and the registry for rolling out the new version,” he added.