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'Our courts transformed from imposing 'empires' to democratic spaces of discourse': CJI DY Chandrachud

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NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that Indian courts have been re-imagined from imposing "empires" to democratic spaces of discourse, shedding their opaqueness.

He made this remark while addressing the J20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 'Digital transformation and the use of technology to enhance judicial efficiency.' The J20 Summit, which brings together the heads of supreme and constitutional courts from G20 member states, was organized by the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court under Brazil's G20 presidency.

Talking about the Brazilian Supreme Court's program, CJI said, "We believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant, and that correct and accessible information is an antidote to disinformation. The Brazil Supreme Court's Programme to Fight Disinformation targets disinformation by enabling access to the judgements and creating an ecosystem of stakeholders."

"Our courts have transformed from being imposing 'empires' to becoming democratic spaces of discourse. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the boundaries of our court systems, compelling them to change overnight. Courts have evolved beyond just opaque physical spaces," said CJI Chandrachud.

He also highlighted the digital divide and representational asymmetry between disputing parties and low-connectivity regions. Referring to these issues as "bottlenecks," he emphasized the need to address them.

Meanwhile speaking in favour of Indian judicial system the CJI said, "In India, it is quite common for judges to engage with a bar and play the devil's advocate to extract their best response. However, this is sometimes mistaken, as the opinion of the bench and misleading clips of the proceedings are circulated on the internet. Fortunately, we have a robust network of legal journalists who live-report the proceedings and help dispel disinformation. We are using SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software), a machine learning, AI-enabled translation tool for our judgements of 16 regional languages. Over 36,000 cases have thus far been translated. There is also live streaming and YouTube recordings of important constitutional cases that provide the complete context."

"When discussing judicial efficiency, we must consider more than just the efficiency of judges; we must look at the holistic judicial process. Efficiency is not only about outcomes but also about ensuring a free and fair hearing through these processes," he further said.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud emphasized two crucial areas where digitization and technology can enhance justice delivery mechanisms: streamlining pre-decision processes and implementing post-decision measures to improve access to and engagement with judicial decisions. He noted that courts worldwide are leveraging technologies, from basic organizational tools to advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning systems.

(With inputs from agencies)
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