As the Supreme Court turned a new chapter in the digital age on Wednesday by launching a computerised case management system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the judiciary to make a shift to digital technology saying it was effective, easy, economical and environment-friendly. He even devised an equation to describe Information Technology (IT).
“IT + IT = IT stands for Information Technology + Indian Talent = India Tomorrow,” he said, speaking at the launch of the SC Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS) at Vigyan Bhawan.
The new system converts and stores in digital format all records filed in the Supreme Court, enabling litigants to track their cases online. lauding the SC on achieving this historic milestone, the Prime Minister said, “To make new India, change is essential.”
linking the development with the Government’s big push to realise the Digital India dream, Modi urged the judiciary to change its mindset and make a shift to digital technology.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) JS Khehar said the new system will usher in transparency, ensure a paperless judicial regime and prevent chances of manipulation of records. At present, advocates in the SC are allowed to e-file their cases. But the new system will be far different, the CJI explained stating that the litigant will be required to file only the “grounds of appeal” against the High Court order and the case number. The remaining documents (High Court judgment, affidavits filed by either parties) will get electronically transferred to the SC.
“This system cannot be breached. A system where the documents cannot be manipulated, a system where the records are there for keeps,” the CJI said, indicating that the new system will be in place from July 3, the day when the SC will reopen after a summer break.
“I propose to take this system to all the 24 High Courts and then to all the district courts. This means a litigant will file one case only in his lifetime, insofar as the paper book is concerned,” the CJI said.
The apex court’s decision to cut short its vacation and work on holidays received appreciation from the Prime Minister. He said, “The country is changing. We are working during holidays. Such a move will restore the public’s faith in the judiciary.”
Modi also appealed to the legal fraternity present to make the “Pro Bono” electronic interface introduced by the Union law Ministry a success by registering with it. Referring to the change that India was witnessing, Modi said, “On my request, lakhs of citizens gave up their lPG subsidy and gynaecologists agreed to treat poor pregnant women on the ninth of every month.”
He urged the lawyer community to assist the Government’s attempt to provide free and effective legal aid to underprivileged litigants.
Adding another dimension to the need for digitalization, the PM said a paperless regime was eco-friendly as it would save millions of litres of water and thousands of trees. This money can in turn be used to build homes for the poor and construct new schools, he said.
The point was well taken by another SC judge J Chelameswar, who said that every case filed in the SC consumes a huge quantity of paper and such a step will reduce the damage caused to the environment. He also criticized the “mindset” of the judiciary to adopt change, wondering why the SC complex was still reluctant to have a Wi-Fi facility over security concerns when the United States Department of Defence at Pentagon could work with Wi-Fi.
Besides tracking of a case online, the CJI said the ICMIS will also allow litigants to calculate the court fees and know the amount to be paid. If there is delay in filing of a case, the new system will show of how many days was the delay and what should be the application. “This system tells your client, the day process (notice) is served upon the other party, the day the case is taken up, the days on which various orders are passed, thus ensuring great transparency,” the CJI said.
