Calling for a shift towards a “unified judicial policy”, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology can help align standards and practices across courts and deliver a seamless experience to citizens, irrespective of where they approach the justice system.
Delivering the keynote address at the West Zone Regional Conference in Jaisalmer, the CJI said India must begin thinking of justice not as a collection of parallel regional systems but as a single national judicial ecosystem built on shared standards, coordinated goals and seamless interfaces.
He noted that India’s federal structure has historically allowed high courts to evolve their own practices and technological capacities, but said technology now offers a way to dismantle these regional barriers.
“Today, as technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals,” Justice Surya Kant said.
Technology as a constitutional tool
The Chief Justice underlined that technology in the judiciary has moved far beyond being a mere administrative aid.
“Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency,” he said.
According to him, digital tools allow courts to overcome physical distance and bureaucratic rigidities, making justice delivery more timely, transparent and accessible.
“It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled,” he added.
Need for uniformity and predictability
Emphasising the need for a unified judicial policy, the CJI said the diversity of practices across high courts, though natural in a federal democracy, has led to uneven experiences for litigants.
“India’s vast diversity has led to different high courts evolving their own practices, administrative priorities and technological capacities. This variation… has resulted in uneven experiences for litigants across the country,” he observed.
Justice Surya Kant said predictability is a core expectation of citizens from the justice system.
“A core expectation citizens place upon the courts is predictability,” he said, adding that people expect not just fairness, but consistency in how cases are handled across the country.
He pointed out that technology can help courts identify systemic delays and bottlenecks, particularly in areas such as bail matters or specific categories of disputes, enabling targeted corrective action.
“Technology enables us to track systemic delays and make problems visible rather than concealed,” he said.
Data-driven case management
Highlighting the role of data-driven tools, the CJI said technology can assist courts in prioritising sensitive and urgent matters.
“Technology enables prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time and ensuring transparent listing protocols,” he noted.
Referring to a recent administrative order issued by him, Justice Surya Kant said urgent cases such as bail petitions and habeas corpus matters are now ensured listing within two days of curing defects.
“Where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency,” he said.
Simpler judgments, clearer communication
The Chief Justice also flagged concerns over the clarity of judicial orders, noting that litigants often struggle to understand the relief granted to them due to complex or technical language.
“Although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical, vague or evasive to understand,” he said.
He stressed that a unified judicial approach must also reflect in how courts communicate outcomes, calling for greater uniformity and clarity in judgment writing.
Role of AI and existing digital platforms
Justice Surya Kant spoke about the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital tools in judicial functioning, including AI-based research assistants and digital case management systems.
“Emerging technological tools are now capable of performing once-unthinkable functions. They can highlight missing precedent references, cluster similar legal questions, and simplify factual narration,” he said.
He also referred to platforms such as the National Judicial Data Grid and the e-courts system, which have already contributed to standardising processes like filing and case tracking.
Concluding his address, the CJI said technological innovation must ultimately serve the citizen.
“The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served,” he said.
