Jammu & Kashmir State Judicial Academy today organised a Oe Day Orientation Programme on Use of Technology in Court and Case Management at J&K State Judicial Academy Janipur, Jammu.The training programme was inaugurated by Chief Justice, High Court of J&K Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, along with Chairman, J&K State Judicial Academy, Justice Alok Aradhe, Judge, High Court of J&K Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Judge, High Court of Delhi Dr Justice S. Muralidhar. All the District Judges, Chief Judicial Magistrates and Nodal Officers of Computer Committees of Jammu Province participated in the programme.Proceedings were conducted by Director, J&K State Judicial Academy, Abdul Rashid Malik. In his introductory remarks, Director, State Judicial Academy extended warm welcome to Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, Chief Justice, High Court of J&K (Chief Patron, J&K State Judicial Academy), Dr. Justice S. Muralidhar, Judge High Court of Delhi and Justice Alok Aradhe, Chairman, J&K State Judicial Academy and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey, Judge, High Court of J&K for gracing the occasion.Judge, High Court of J&K, Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey in his special address highlighted the fruitful results of technology in courts over the years and stated that it has revolutionised the justice delivery system. There have all along been endeavours at numerous levels world over, in general, and at the national level, in particular, to join heads to evolve and devise some methodologies to achieve the avowed object of delivery of quick, quality and cost effective justice to the litigant public, and so, at their door steps. The information technology has played a vital role in the attempts at achieving that object. Now, the advantages of information technology in our system are not alien to us. However, whereas great leaps have been made in the application and adoption of technology in our systems, many more things may need to be done, especially with a view to ensuring that obsolescence does not creep in the system.
Judge, High Court of J&K and Chairman, J&K State Judicial Academy, Justice Alok Aradhe in his special address gave overview of the training programme and said that the use of technology in the court and case management has progressed by leaps and bounds with the guidance of Chief Justice, High Court of J&K. He also highlighted the achievements of the High Court E-Computerisation and also stated that the regular cause lists as well as the judgements are being uploaded on the official website of High Court of J&K for providing case information to advocates and litigants and public in general which facilitates dissemination of information and improves access to justice.Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed, while inaugurating the programme expressed the hope and desire that in the ultimate goal we have to achieve the dream of complete paperless courts because the technology doesn’t wait for a judicial system as it moves more rapidly than the judicial system. If we don’t follow technology we will become completely obsolete. He added that Younger generation adopts technology more fast but old one have to follow the suit as technology is meant for both young and old. We cannot reverse this trend as we are ageing day-by-day but technology is moving in multiples. The introduction of Court Management System and Case Management System will enable us to overcome the mounting pressure of arrears.While deliberating upon the importance of technology in the judicial system he stated that his ultimate dream and vision is that all court records whether in the High Court, District Courts, Taluka Courts or any remote corner of the State should be digitised. All official records are also required to be digitised so that the voluminous records are not required to be moved from one place to another and we can save a lot of money and time by digitising the official records. We have to move faster to adopt the new technology.
Senior Judge, Delhi High Court, Dr. Justice S. Muralidhar highlighted that feeding accurate data is important. Computers and technology are best solutions for all our troubles. Machines control the human beings today and have become smarter. We have to embrace technology as it is an integral part of reforms of justice delivery system. World has changed. In cyber crimes entire evidence has to be electronic evidence. We have no choice except to adopt the technology just like the doctors perform robotic surgery he added. He also said that A judge should know how emails are generated and how electronic evidence can be collected, examined and relied upon. Tomorrows courts are going to be paperless. Every court will be in virtual world. Entire court records have to be scanned so that calling records from trial courts to superior is dispensed with by relying upon the scanned file. How many record rooms, we will construct for storing the records. The paperless courts are part of ensuring quick and speedy justice. During presentation Dr. Justice S. Muralidhar made a PowerPoint presentation by showing a paperless trial court functioning at Delhi. He also appreciated Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed for his painstaking efforts to make J&K Judiciary digital and paperless to ensure speedy justice. The participant Judicial Officers interacted with the Resource Person.Central Project Coordinator, E-Courts, Shabir Ahmad Malik, Munsiff Umesh Sharma, Technical Director NIC, High Court Kiran Koul along with the NIC team of High Court made a PowerPoint presentation on email and SMS as an aid to judicial processes and role of District Computer Committees and Nodal Officers in management of hardware and human resources.The function concluded with the vote of thanks by Director, J&K State Judicial Academy, Abdul Rashid Malik.