LI Network
Published on: 26 August 2023 at 11:25 IST
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has called for lawyers to adopt more technologically advanced communication methods, emphasizing the benefits of technology in expediting legal processes.
During a recent instance at the Supreme Court, when a lawyer sought urgent listing for a case not on the mentioning list, CJI Chandrachud highlighted the option of sending an email to the registrar to include the case for listing.
Expressing his bewilderment at lawyers’ apparent reluctance to utilize technology, CJI Chandrachud posed the question, “Why are you all so tech-unfriendly? Send an email to the registrar for listing, and I will examine and list it. Sometimes, I forego lunch to attend to emails.”
CJI Chandrachud has consistently advocated for leveraging technology to streamline court proceedings. Last May, he underscored the importance of judges embracing technology to benefit litigants and encouraged High Courts to continue employing technology-enabled hybrid hearings even beyond the pandemic.
He stressed, “We cannot burden our lawyers due to our uneasiness with technology. The answer is simple: retrain ourselves.”
CJI Chandrachud’s commitment to technology is evident in the transformation of the Supreme Court’s registry into a paperless system since he assumed office.
Additionally, under his leadership, initiatives such as the Electronic-Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) project were launched, making over 34,000 judgments of the apex court accessible online for free.
In a virtual inauguration event at the Calcutta High Court last March, he advocated allowing lawyers to use electronic devices like iPads and laptops inside courtrooms for constructive purposes.