Technology and Law

Technological developments have brought a turning point in the history of human civilisation and have resulted in enhanced efficiency, productivity and quality of output in every walk of life. Technology has paved the way for an open and accessible world where physical barriers to communication and connectivity have broken down.

89. Technology must also be seen as a way of bringing services into remote areas to deal with problems associated with the justice delivery system. With the increasing cost of travelling and other expenses, videoconferencing can provide a cost-effective and efficient alternative. Solutions based on modern technology allow the court to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the administration of justice. The use of technology can maximise efficiency and develop innovative methods for delivering legal services. Technology-based solutions must be adopted to facilitate access to justice. Family Courts are overburdened with all too familiar problems: too few courts, vacancies in Judge strength and a creaking infrastructure. Men and women in matrimonial distress have their woes compounded in the justice delivery system. Repeated adjournments break the back of the litigant. We must embrace technology and not retard its application, to make the administration of justice efficient.

90. The pervasive problem of pendency, the barriers to access to justice in India, and the inability of the judicial process to ensure timely and effective justice calls for a wide range of reforms. There is a widespread concern that the manner in which disputes are resolved in the judicial process is expensive and causes hardships to litigants. Due to advances in technology and tools for videoconferencing, even when parties are not in proximity to each other, conflicts can be resolved effectively.

2017 SCeJ 001