My Chambers Are Almost Paperless, I Don't Receive Any Physical Files: CJI DY Chandrachud Pushes For Digitizing Court Records, E-Filing

Orissa High Court as a Role Model

At the outset, the CJI apprised the audience that the inauguration ceremony is the third event of the Orissa High Court in the last three months, where he is invited as a guest. He said, it is a testament to the vision of Chief Justice Dr. S. Muralidhar that the Orissa High Court would lead the path for the Judiciary in works related to e-initiatives.

He mentioned the recently concluded High Court Chief Justices Conference which was held as a part of the Constitution Day celebration, where discussions and deliberations were made to devise ways to make justice more accessible.

"All of you would be very happy to note that Odisha's e-committee related work was discussed as a role-model and many High Courts took inspiration from the work that Odisha has done. In fact, in the course of our deliberations, I requested all the Chief Justices of the High Courts and the members of the ICT committees to visit Odisha, to see the actual work which is going on particularly in the context of digitisation", the CJI added.

Empowering Trial Courts

The CJI expressed his pleasure to inaugurate the initiative as it was an infrastructure which is built for Trial Courts. He said,

"I have continuously emphasized on the importance of prioritizing our Trial Courts, which are the most critical cog of our judicial system. Not only are they the backbone of the judiciary but they are also the first and for a majority of people, the only interaction with our institution. Therefore, the infrastructure at the Trial Courts is of the utmost priority."

Benefits of Digitization of Records

CJI Chandrachud said, digitizing judicial records is an important step in the modernization of the justice delivery system. He fondly recalled his virtual participation in the event which was organised to commemorate the first anniversary of the Record Room Digitization Centre (RRDC), Orissa High Court. "The work done at the High Court has been impressive. It has clearly shown us the benefits of digitization and has set a clear path for the District Court Digitization Hubs", he added.

By digitizing the records, he said, we can make them more accessible, efficient and secure. One of the main benefits of digitizing judicial records is that it allows for easier access to these records by authorized individuals and persons. In the past, judicial records were often kept in physical files, which meant that they were difficult to access unless the person is physically present at the courthouse. This made it difficult for lawyers, judges and other legal professionals to access the information they needed to do their jobs effectively.

Highlighting another benefit of digitizing judicial records, he said that it can make the justice-delivery system more efficient. In the past, a lot of time was spent on tasks such as searching for and organising physical files. By digitizing these records, we can make it much easier to search for and organise information, which save time and reduce the workload on legal professionals.

Further he said, in addition to making the justice system more efficient, digitizing judicial records can also make it more secure. Physical files are vulnerable to loss, damage and theft which can compromise the integrity of the information they contain. Digital records, on the other hand, can be stored securely and can be backed up regularly.

He highlighted his own penchant for utilising technology and said,

"Now, would you believe that my last few sentences where I recounted the benefits of digitizing Court records was not written by me at all. All that was written, word to word, was by the Open AI's Chat GPT tool. I have been hearing about it and as many of you know, I am a self-confessed technology-geek. I don't receive any physical files from Courts. My Law Clerks send me all notes digitally and my chambers is almost paperless. So, I thought I must try this tool for myself and I was stunned to see the result."

Need for Adapting to Technology

The CJI acknowledged that adapting to change and especially technology is overwhelming, especially for the older generations. He confessed that he also had a "very steep learning curve" but he reassured,

"…this really is the future and once you cross the learning curve, as many have been considering now… I see many senior lawyers in Court arguing from their tablets, you realise that the benefits outweigh the slightly initial inconvenient moments and with the way technology is moving, our only option is to adapt to the changes."

Need for Support of Stakeholders

He emphasized that digitization must be accompanied with a strong push towards e-filing of new cases. Otherwise, it would be counter-productive if we continue producing paper documents which will again require digitization in the future. He underlined that it is not possible without the involvement and support of all stakeholders including not just judges but primarily, lawyers, their clerks, court staff and all others involved.

"The focus of the phase three of the e-Courts project which we are now entering is to build a judicial system that is nearly digital while improving existing physical processes. It does not merely digitize paper-based processes but it seeks to transform processes for a digital environment. The use of technology can be optimised only if there is a mindset change and, in this endeavour, I invite all of you to lead by example and the mindset change can best be reflected in our being conversant with technology, using technology in all the small operations which we as citizens and as judges have to partake."

Concluding Remarks

Lastly, he congratulated every single individual who was involved in making the DCDHs a reality. He expressed faith that the Orissa High Court will be mentoring the nation on the use of technology in dispensing justice. While concluding, on a lighter note, he said,

"As you all know, I mention Allahabad Bombay as my parent High Courts. But with the numbers of initiatives that Odisha has involved me in, I think now I must also start adding Odisha to that list."