CJI Surya Kant said technology in courts removes geographical barriers and improves justice access. Speaking at the National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education, he highlighted India’s shift from paper records to digital ecosystem.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said that bringing technology into court processes is helping remove geographical barriers, allowing litigants to deal more easily with issues such as difficult terrain, financial constraints, and distance.
Addressing the opening session of the two-day National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education, the CJI said India’s legal system has shifted away from an era dominated by paper records when essential documents were often confined to physical storage toward a modern, digital ecosystem.
He said,
“When we speak of integrating technology into judicial processes across the country, we are, in effect, addressing the dismantling of geographical constraints, whether they arise from difficult terrain, financial barriers, or sheer distance,”
He added that accessing justice previously required a level of endurance, since reaching a courtroom itself could be an arduous part of the process for many litigants.
He said,
“The journey to a courtroom was often measured as a test of endurance,”
Referring to remote and hard-to-reach areas, the CJI pointed out that people seeking justice in regions shaped by challenging landscapes especially the Himalayas have historically faced major hurdles.
He said,
“The mighty Himalayas, magnificent as they are, make movement slow and uncertain. If we look at the scenario just a decade or so ago, for a Sikkimese litigant seeking justice, distance was not measured in kilometres but in days of travel across narrow paths and unpredictable weather,”
In his view, digital reform is no longer optional; it is necessary for ensuring the rule of law functions effectively.
He said,
“We have moved away from the era of the paper trail, where vital records languished in physical storage, to a vibrant digital ecosystem. The e-Courts project has rewritten the relationship between the litigant and the law,”
The CJI further noted that services that once depended on physical visits can now be accessed through digital systems. He emphasized the role of data-driven governance and described the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as a key component.
He said,
“Beyond basic data collection, we have witnessed the advent of intelligent assistance within our chambers,”
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He highlighted developments such as SUVAS, a translation tool, and SUPACE, an AI-based research assistant designed to support judges.
He said,
“These innovations act as force multipliers, aiding in the swift translation of judgments and providing rapid, comprehensive research to the bench. They relieve the judge of the mechanical burden of routine inquiry, allowing for a deeper immersion in the complexities of the law,”
He also said technology has strengthened access for litigants by improving both visibility and transparency.
He said,
“When a litigant in the most distant corner of the country can track the progress of a case or view an order without intermediaries; if he can engage counsel from across the country and view proceedings in real time through video conferencing and live proceedings, the power dynamics of the courtroom undergo a healthy calibration,”
At the same time, the CJI stressed that the shift toward technology is still underway, and that greater standardization is needed to ensure alignment between trial courts and higher courts.
He said,
“It enables High Courts to align with a common national standard while still accommodating state-specific requirements, whether in terms of nomenclature, local language needs, or procedural workflows,”
He also called for further expansion of e-Seva Kendras, which offer digital support to litigants and lawyers.
He said,
“These centres must grow beyond being simple access points and develop into effective hubs of digital support. In a country marked by varying levels of literacy, they serve as the crucial link between the complexity of the law and the immediacy of a citizen’s need,”
Noting that large numbers of these centres are already operational, the CJI said strengthening their infrastructure is important to prevent a new form of exclusion caused by the digital divide.
He further discussed how Artificial Intelligence can be carefully incorporated at the trial court stage to assist with processes like recovery suits.
He said,
“Instead of allowing valuable judicial time to be spent at the execution stage, on tasks such as verification of assets or tracing encumbrances, these systems can undertake such foundational checks with a degree of speed and accuracy that manual processes often cannot match,”
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He also said AI can help identify trends in sentencing and bail decisions, supporting greater uniformity and predictability.
He said,
“Similarly, Artificial Intelligence systems can be deployed to identify patterns in sentencing and bail practices, to promote greater consistency and predictability,”
The CJI added that technological adoption must be matched by changes in legal education. He said judges should not only be trained in laws, but also be able to understand the logic behind emerging technological systems.
He said,
“This Conclave recognises that the adoption of technology is not only about implementation, but also about a necessary shift in legal education. It is no longer sufficient to be well versed in the statutes of the past. The modern judge must also engage with the logic that underpins emerging technologies,”
He urged judicial academies to move beyond basic digital literacy and provide deeper training on how algorithmic tools work, including their relationship with principles such as natural justice.
CJI Kant said,
“Only then can technology be integrated in a manner that strengthens, rather than unsettles, the core values of the legal system,”
The programme was attended by international judicial dignitaries, including Chief Justice of Seychelles Supreme Court Rony James Govinden and Sri Lankan Supreme Court judge Mohammad Dhilip Nawaz.
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