Technology can help traditional legal and judicial systems of India in many forms. These include online dispute resolution (ODR), e-courts, digitilisation of court’s files and proceedings, online bail applications, etc.India has been working in this direction but without proper policies and expertise. Although some parts of traditional courts have been computerised yet by and large technology has remained an alien concept for Indian courts.
There is a complete failure on the fronts of ODR, e-courts, digitilisation initiatives, online proceedings, etc. India is confusing computerisation with e-courts and digital judicial services. The truth is that we are still waiting for the establishment of first e-court in India.
We keep on hearing that first e-court has been established in Gujarat or Delhi or some other state. But we do not have a single e-court till now. So much so that even there is no e-court committee or any other similar committee that is presently working for the establishment of e-courts in India.
I think law minister Mr. Veerappa Moily must take some pro active and constructive steps in this regard. Our legal and judicial system badly needs physical and electronic infrastructure. Presently, judicial e-infrastructure in India is in really bad shape.
India must understand the difference between computerisation of courts and e-courts and immediately start working in the direction of establishment of effective judicial e-infrastructure.
