Jabalpur, May 16: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Saturday called for the judiciary to function 24×7 and stressed the importance of maintaining public trust amid rapid technological advancements. He was speaking at a seminar in Jabalpur on digital integration in justice delivery.
Addressing the seminar titled“Fragmentation to Fusion: Empowering Justice via United Digital Platform Integration”, Justice Surya Kant highlighted the need for user-friendly software and for training paralegal volunteers at the local level, ensuring that rural populations and those unfamiliar with technology are made aware of digital reforms.
Drawing an analogy with the Narmada River, he said, “Just as the modest stream from Amarkantak grows into a mighty river at Jabalpur, small technical reforms in the justice system can become catalysts for significant changes in the future.” He added that newly launched applications and digital platforms would make the judicial system more transparent and effective.
The Chief Justice also lauded the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s efforts, calling its steps toward digitalisation highly significant and a model for other states. However, he cautioned that digitisation alone is not sufficient. “The Madhya Pradesh High Court and the State government must collaborate to ensure that these initiatives are genuinely beneficial,” he said, emphasizing that over half of Madhya Pradesh’s—and India’s—population resides in villages, many of whom lack awareness about technology’s utility.
Justice Surya Kant further revealed that upon taking office, he had constituted a committee to oversee the Supreme Court’s technological systems, with details of its work to be made public soon. Additionally, a separate committee has been formed to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the judiciary, with a focus on expediting the disposal of pending cases. Sharing a personal experience, he recounted how the delayed communication of a bail order led to prolonged incarceration for an accused.
The seminar also saw addresses from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Chief Minister praised science and technology for simplifying life and underscored the judiciary’s central role in sustaining democracy. Minister Meghwal hailed the innovations as groundbreaking, noting that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had pioneered efforts to deliver justice even to those who cannot hear or speak. “From today, Madhya Pradesh will serve as an exemplary model,” he affirmed.
The event was attended by nine Supreme Court judges, Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva of the Jabalpur High Court, and other dignitaries.
