'There Is A New Energy Infused Within The Entire Judicial System Since Chief Justice Ramana Took Over As CJI': Orissa HC Chief Justice Dr.S Muralidhar

"In the five months since Chief Justice NV Ramana took over, there is new energy infused within the entire system- there is renewed energy and enthusiasm among us in the judiciary to put our best foot forward. We will realise the kind of vision that the CJI has and the goals that the CJI has set for us. We talk of the foundations being very strong; now it is as if the foundation has gone even stronger, and it is palpable. The changes which are happening around us are changes for the better. It has been received very positively by the people of India."Orissa High Court Chief Justice S. Muralidhar remarked on Saturday.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the new building of the Orissa state legal services authority in Cuttack.

CJ Muralidhar commended that the profile of the judiciary is changing and that there are more and more women officers at all levels.

"That itself is a very positive sign", he said.

He continued to state that the bar too has been very cooperative- that whether it is the district bar or the High Court bar, they have been ready to adapt to the changes around them,

"We had training of the bar, both of the High Court and in the districts, on the use of devices and the other e-initiatives that we have under the E-committee of the Supreme Court and the response has been very encouraging", said CJ Muralidhar.

CJ Muralidhar also announced that there are going to be 2 model courts in 2 districts of Orissa which are going to be completely virtual courts. He hailed that the police has been cooperating fully to ensure that they can have a complete virtual court with witnesses at different locations deposing from their respective locations without travelling to the court, that their presence is required for their cross-examination. "This will greatly help in speeding up the trial in those courts", he said. He even acknowledged that the state DGP has always been ready to extend all help possible and that the officer is available at any time of the day or night for anything, giving useful inputs and always ready to cooperate.