Stating that recent ‘hacking’ into High Court of Karnataka’s videoconference system has perturbed everyone in the legal fraternity, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said here on Saturday that the judiciary will have to live with such instances and cannot stop the use of technology.
“We have to make our Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems more robust and ensure that if there is any instance or glitch like that we attend to it,” the CJI said, addressing the judges of the HC while launching 11 e-initiatives of the HCK.
Pointing out that it was believed during initial stages of implementation of ICT that it is one part of the high courts as only a few knew about it and rest used paper files, the CJI said that what the apex court was aspiring for was total digital transformation of the Indian judiciary and the ICT has to be part of the heart of judiciary’s ecosystem.
“We cannot have a divide among judges with some being conversant with technology and others not. Technology is an integral part of our processes,” he said.
HC’s clear message
On the HC’s e-initiatives, the CJI said that it will send a clear message that in the very heart of India’s technological proves, namely silicon valley in Bengaluru, the HC is not left far behind.
“The IT boom found its way to the rest of the country through Bengaluru and today the HC is leading the rest of country in digital transformation,” he said while pointing out that there is an intense competition between the high courts to be ahead of the curve in the process of digitisation.
E-initiatives
Online digital case dairy on Android mobile application for litigants, advocates and government departments; installation of CCTV system inside and outside court halls in six districts, revamped website of the HCK, e-summons through emails, and summons/notices in vernacular language were among the e-initiatives launched on Saturday.