Justice A Muhamed Mustaque of the Kerala High Court, speaking at the North Zone-I Regional Conference on “Court Dockets: Explosion & Exclusion,” emphasized the critical role of digital courts in addressing the extensive backlog of cases in India. The conference, which concluded on Sunday, was a collaboration between the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, and hosted by the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh along with the Jammu and Kashmir Judicial Academy.
During his presentation, Justice Mustaque outlined the four pillars of digital accessibility: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. He argued that enhancing these aspects in the judiciary’s digital services could significantly speed up legal processes, thereby restoring public trust in the judicial system.
The event also featured insights from Supreme Court Justice Rajesh Bindal, who pointed out the ongoing challenges of inadequate equipment and infrastructure that hinder the judiciary. He stressed the need for robust internal regulations that cater to the primary stakeholders in the judicial process: judges, lawyers, and litigants. Justice Bindal highlighted the necessity to bridge disparities in access to technology, bandwidth, and digital proficiency to ensure equitable justice delivery.
Adding to the discussions, Supreme Court Justice N Kotiswar Singh focused on the importance of case management to mitigate unnecessary delays and prevent the accumulation of backlogs. He advocated for a collaborative effort among judges, lawyers, litigants, and administrative officers to streamline the judicial process and adhere to strict schedules for legal proceedings.
