The Supreme Court on Wednesday launched its new integrated case management system, which it says will help litigants access information on court proceedings online. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the new facility in New Delhi. However, it is not clear at the moment what the system does or how it adds to the top court’s current website, which already provides a lot of this data.
The court says its fees can now be calculated online under the system, and that this will improve transparency. Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar said he would like to integrate the system with all 24 High Courts and lower courts in the country, reported PTI.
Modi said the new system would help reduce the number of pending cases, a concern most chief justices have shared. “Accepting technology can’t happen if only some people are keen on it,” Modi said. “The scale has to be larger. E-governance is easy, effective and economical. It is also environment friendly. Paperless offices will benefit the environment.”
Modi then illustrated his point with a new catchphrase: “IT + IT = IT. This means ‘Information technology + Indian Talent = India Tomorrow.”
The event was held at the Vigyan Bhavan as Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and senior members of the judiciary looked on.
Digital initiatives have been a major part of Modi’s agenda since he came to power in 2014. In addition to promoting startups and his “Digital India” scheme, he also used the November 2016 demonetisation drive to promote cashless transactions.
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