Technological vulnerability in the digital age must be treated as a disability that can shut citizens out of the justice system, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said on Friday.
He noted how cyber fraud often causes layered harm including emotional damage, especially to vulnerable citizens.
“When an elderly citizen loses lifelong savings to an impersonation scam, the injury is not only financial. It is emotional. It is social. It is institutional,” he stated.
Invoking Article 39A of the Constitution, the CJI Kant said:
“Article 39A compels us to ensure that justice is not denied by reason of economic or other disabilities. In the digital age, we must be honest enough to recognise technological vulnerability as a disability of access.”
The CJI was delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session of a three-day national conference on cyber safety organised by the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.
He warned that the exclusion is already real on the ground.
“A citizen who cannot navigate reporting portals, who cannot distinguish a legitimate notice from a fake summons, or who is intimidated by the language of cyber procedures, is effectively excluded from justice,” he said.
The CJI underlined that cybercrimes should not be viewed as a niche technological issue, because it represents a barrier to justice at the most fundamental level.
He also placed reliance on data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
“India registered 86,420 cybercrime cases, a 31% increase over 2022. There nearly 65.9 lakh cyber-fraud complaints over the last five years, with losses estimated at ₹55,659 crore.”
On the role of technology and artificial intelligence, the Chief Justice called for ethical restraint and institutional vigilance.
He also cautioned that beyond personal losses, the larger battle is about institutional credibility.
“What is at stake in the battle against cyber crimes is trust in the judiciary itself. When manipulated images and fabricated voices circulate freely, truth itself becomes contested,” the CJI warned.