How online delivery of judicial services help in tackling various issues in judicial system?

♤ High pendency: Between 2006 -2019, there has been an overall increase of 22% in the pendency of cases across all courts. Online judicial services can provide additional aid to clear this backlog and reduce the time and cost involved.

♤ Enhanced efficiency of courts: Standard system generated formats of routine judgments and orders, particularly in civil cases, can be used by courts for quick delivery of judgments.

o Reduction of paperwork will relieve judges and other court staff from administrative duties and allow them to focus on judicial functions.

o Real-time online data would facilitate better identification and classification of cases and also enable High Courts to exercise proper supervision and control over subordinate courts.

♤ Tackling Infrastructural constraints: Video and audio enabled hearings can save significant court costs in terms of building, staff, infrastructure, security, transportation costs for all parties to the court proceedings.

♤ Availability of judicial data: The Law Commission of India in its 245th Report noted that the lack of comprehensive and accurate data relating to cases from courts across the country poses a hurdle to efficient policymaking by the government. Digital databases created by online judicial services can address this need.

♤ Improving transparency and accountability in the judicial system: Allowing audio-video recordings of court proceedings can contribute to transparency of court processes by allowing a precise record of the proceedings and at the same time discourage improper conduct in courts and wastage of court time.

o Information related to judicial statistics placed in the public domain can help the key stakeholders like advocates, litigants, researchers and the public at large to be better informed about the state of the judicial system

♤ Promoting ease of doing business: Online resolution of contractual disputes will boost the confidence of domestic and foreign businesses as they explore investments in India.