Jahanvi Agarwal
In 73 years of the history of the Supreme Court of India, it has happened for the first time that the Courtroom of the Chief Justice of India and two other senior-most judges will be bereft of familiar sights: racks lined along the four walls filled with volumes of SC judgments since 1950 and towering piles of petitions on judges’ desks. Futuristic, IT-enabled courtrooms will be used to welcome lawyers and litigants.
A senior SC official stated that:
“As the SC reopens on Monday after the summer vacation, courtrooms 1 to 3 will see futuristic features to bring a technologically advanced environment to the courtrooms. The upgrades, all energy-efficient green initiatives, have been incorporated to implement CJI D Y Chandrachud‘s dynamic vision for optimising use of technology in judiciary and justice delivery systems.”
In Addition to this, the SC official also stated that:
“SC gets top-end digital video calling system, LED wall. The technology-driven changes in three SC courtrooms, which will be visible when the court opens on Monday after the summer break, include a state-of-the-art digital video conferencing (VC) system for communication and collaboration. This system enables seamless remote participation and virtual meetings, enhancing the accessibility and connectivity of courtroom proceedings.”
On Sunday, i.e., 2nd July 2023, the Apex Court notified regarding the creation of a Wi-Fi facility as part of its e-initiatives for advocates, litigants, journalists, and other stakeholders visiting the Apex Court. The Court was of the opinion that:
“For the present, this facility will be available at the CJI’s court, court nos. 2 to 5, including the corridor and plaza in front, both waiting areas in front of plaza canteen, and press lounge – I & II, with effect from Monday.”
Since taking over as chief justice in November of last year, CJI Chandrachud has pushed for maximizing the use of technology to speed up the delivery of justice, reach the last person in line for it, and dispel the perception that the court makes decisions slowly.
The Apex Court by explaining how much technology has been included in the first three newly renovated courtrooms, the SC official states that:
“To cater to the diverse connectivity needs of modern technology, cable cubbies have been integrated into these courtrooms. These cubbies are equipped with HDMI outputs, USB C&A ports for charging devices, LAN connections, and power sockets. This advanced infrastructure provides convenient connectivity options, allowing for seamless integration of multimedia devices.”
Lawyers and litigants would witness a radical transformation of virtual courtrooms for the first three most senior judges-led benches.
The Official stated that:
“A futuristic LED video wall has also been installed in the courtrooms.”