Distance, inaccessibility will not obstruct justice in Manipur: Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul

Manipur, though a small State, has the potential to set a precedent for the entire country by effectively utilising technology in judicial processes, High Court Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul said. .Justice dispensation in Manipur will not suffer due to physical inaccessibility to courts, he emphasised highlighting the new e-filing system being launched in district courts."This system allows litigants and lawyers to file documents electronically, ensuring that the wheels of justice continue to turn unimpeded by physical barriers. In doing so, we are making a clear statement - justice in Manipur will not be halted by distance or physical inaccessibility," the Chief Justice said. He added that the future vision for the Manipur High Court includes not only good infrastructure for the district judiciary but also a modern framework that would support e-filing, hybrid hearings and paperless courts.“The digital revolution has provided us with tools that can significantly enhance our efficiency and accessibility,” Chief Justice Mridul added..The Chief Justice made the observations during foundation day celebrations on March 23, which also marked the launch of several information and communication technology (ICT) projects."Today we celebrate not just an anniversary but the ushering in of a new era in the judiciary of Manipur through the launch of far reaching information technology initiatives. These initiatives represent our commitment to leveraging technology to make justice more accessible, transparent and efficient for all," the Chief Justice said..The launch event was held at the City Convention Centre, Imphal as part of celebrations to mark the eleventh year of the Manipur High Court's establishment. Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey was the Chief Guest for the event, which was presided over by Chief Justice Mridul and also attended by Justices A Bimol Singh, A Guneshwar Sharma and Golmei Gaiphulshillu.Other dignitaries who attended the event included Advocate General Lenin Hijam, Manipur Bar Council Chairman S Brajabihari Singh, High Court Bar Association President Y Nirmolchand Singh and President of the All Manipur Bar Association President Tomcha Meetei..Various projects were launched including a virtual court for traffic offences, a new e-filing system for district courts, e-High Court reports, and a work management system for digitisation and e-Sewa Kendra projects and one such system for AI translation projects. Some key details of the projects launched are:.Virtual court for traffic offencesThe virtual court for traffic offences project aims to streamline the justice process for minor traffic violations, thereby reducing the burden on physical courts and enabling efficient dispute resolution. Through this online system, individuals will be able to file their complaints, attend virtual hearings, and receive a verdict without the need to be physically present in a court. .E-filing for district courts, version 3The revised e-filing system for district courts aims to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of legal filings. Through this platform, lawyers and individuals will be able to electronically submit documents including complaints, pleas and supporting documents, thereby eliminating the need for physical paperwork and facilitating faster case processing..E-High Court ReportsThe High Court of Manipur will be publishing Digital High Court Reports in English, Meitei Mayek, and Roman Alphabet (Manipuri). The objective of this project is to make legal resources more accessible by providing free access for all advocates and students of law. The portal will feature a search engine, allowing users to search for specific keywords and navigate through a comprehensive collection of legal reports..Work Management System for Digitization & E-Sewa Kendra Projects:The objective of this software is to monitor the progress of digitization and e-Sewa Kendra projects and the performance of the staff, and to record the project with a view for case study. The software also provides real-time insights into the workload and progress of each employee, allowing concerned officer to identify areas where improvement is needed. .Work Management System for AI-Translation ProjectThe High Court has developed a web-based application to allocate work to the translators who would be tasked with translating High Court and Supreme Court judgments and orders. The newly launched system is meant to streamline the translation project and would ease coordination of work between legal researchers (who would be uploading judgments for translation), translators, and program coordinators. One of the notable features of this software is the digital work distribution. Translators will be able to receive their assignments electronically. Once the translation is completed, the software will automatically transfer the document to the verifier, who would then review the translation. This will eliminate the time-consuming task of manually transferring files. .[Watch event]