Jabalpur, May 16 (IANS) The judiciary must now move towards operating on a 24×7 basis, and amidst technological advancements, maintaining the trust of the common people is crucial, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Shurya Kant said on Saturday in Jabalpur while addressing a seminar on digital integration in justice delivery.

Speaking at the seminar titled ‘Fragmentation to Fusion: Empowering Justice via United Digital Platform Integration’, Justice Surya Kant said the language of new software applications should be simple, and paralegal volunteers should be trained at the local level to ensure information regarding digital reforms reaches rural populations and those unfamiliar with technology.

Citing the example of the Narmada River, Justice Surya Kant remarked that just as the modest stream of the Narmada originating from Amarkantak transforms into a mighty river by the time it reaches Jabalpur, similarly, small technical reforms within the justice system will prove to be catalysts for major changes in the future.

He stated that the applications and digital platforms launched will render the judicial system more effective and transparent.

In his address, the Chief Justice of India stated that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken a highly significant step, one that will serve as an inspiration for all other states.

At the same time, he emphasised that the task is not complete merely by undertaking digitisation or launching new technologies.

“I believe that the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the State government will work together on this initiative to ensure that it is rendered truly beneficial,” he said.

He underscored that more than half of the population in Madhya Pradesh—and indeed in India—resides in villages, and these citizens often lack sufficient knowledge regarding the utility and usage of such technology.

Meanwhile, CJI also mentioned that immediately after assuming office, he constituted a committee to oversee the Supreme Court’s technological systems; details regarding the work accomplished by this committee are set to be made public within a few days.

Justice Surya Kant further noted that a committee has also been constituted to explore the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the justice system, specifically focusing on the expeditious disposal of pending cases.

He stated that detailed information regarding this initiative would be shared shortly. Sharing a personal anecdote, he recounted a specific instance where an accused individual remained incarcerated for an extended period simply because the bail order failed to reach the prison authorities in time.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also addressed the event. The Chief Minister highlighted the pivotal role that science and technology have played in simplifying human life and stressed that the justice system plays the single most critical role in sustaining a robust democracy.

Meghwal declared that these innovations are by no means ordinary and said the endeavour to deliver justice even to those who cannot hear or speak began at the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

“From this day forward, we shall cite Madhya Pradesh as the exemplary model,” he affirmed. The event was attended by nine Supreme Court Judges, Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva of the Jabalpur High Court, among others.

–IANS

pd/dan