Supreme Court Goes Digital by Launching Apps; moves on Digital India Initiative Path

Indian Judiciary did its part to promote Digital India Initiative on Tuesday by launching a number of applications related to the court process. A number of applications were launched to help litigants and lawyers in filing cases and submitting documents online in the Supreme Court of India.

The Digital India Initiative

Chief Justice of India Deepak Misra and Law and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched e-filing, e-payment options, National Service and Tracking of Electronic Process (NTSEP), Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC), and user manual and awareness guide for services offered under the e-Courts programme. The inauguration ceremony of these apps took place in the Judge’s Lounge of the Supreme Court and was graced by presence other top judges, senior advocates, and other legal luminaries. The entire function was broadcasted live on the internet and was hosted by E-Committee of the apex court.

Justice Madan B. Lokur in-charge of E-Committee of the Supreme Court said at the function that “twenty-five to thirty per cent of cases in the lower judiciary are pending because summons does not get delivered to parties. Now, a process server would be provided with a smartphone that would end the practice of incorrect reports that they give to courts about non-delivery of summons.” He further added National Service and Tracking of Electronic Process will provide a real-time tracking of process server which would speed up disposal of cases in the trial courts pending for non– delivery of summonses.

Supreme Court’s new e-Services

E-payment and E-filing app would allow lawyers to pay court fees and fines for cases pending in the subordinate courts online, this will save a lot of time and effort of lawyers as now they would not have to wait in long queues outside court fees and filling counters.

The Digital India Initiative has been a game changer. As we talk about the projects under the said programme, entire E-Courts project is a free open source project which saved more than Rs 1,670 crore of the public exchequer. This was the next step in the e-courts project which was started more than 12 years and back with an aim to digitize judicial proceedings.

Law Minister while addressing the event said that India’s digital profile is changing very rapidly and that more than 16,000 subordinates courts are computerized.

Chief Justice Misra said there has to be a friendly atmosphere for litigants, either through technology or physical presence, and when litigants know he/she is in a favorable atmosphere it matters the most. He also said that 

“We are technologically successful as far as the legal world is concerned”

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This is a very positive development as apart from saving time and efforts of lawyers, Applications launched would also bring in transparency and keep litigants and lawyers updated. This will overall improve the efficiency of the justice delivery system which in turn will reduce the burden of pending cases on Courts.