Judiciary must not wait for another pandemic, should keep evolving: CJI DY Chandrachud

Judiciary should not wait for another pandemic like COVID-19 but must keep evolving and taking pro-active decisions like use of virtual hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud said on Friday..COVID-19 pandemic forced the judicial system to adopt modern methods to impart justice and the goal should be to evolve it further, he emphasised.The CJI was addressing the 18th meeting of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member-states. The meeting, which is a three-day long event, is being held in Delhi and Supreme Court judges Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph are also in attendance. .CJI Chandrachud opening the meet stating that Supreme Court of India continues to foster the path of digitisation and that incorporation of technology in the Indian judicial system has not only made the judicial institutions more accessible for all its citizens but has also acted as a tool to reach out to those who lack access to technology."With virtual/ hybrid hearings, advocates or litigants can appear before the courts from any part of the country to argue their case. The Supreme Court also has started live streaming of constitutional cases, utilising AI software for live transcription of hearings and translation of judgments in multiple languages. This shall ensure transparency in judicial proceedings," said the CJI..Regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the judiciary and the legal system, the CJI noted that the rapid response of the Supreme Court in adopting technology and devising e-courts, online hearings via video conference, standard operating procedure for urgent hearings, live streaming, and e-filing ensured that the interruption in court functioning was brief..CJI Chandrachud also stressed on how the Supreme Court and High Courts took suo-motu cognisance and entertained several letter petitions in various public interest issues which arose during pandemic such as crisis relating to migrant labourers, decongestion of jails to prevent overcrowding and spread of Covid- 19 infection, free testing of COVID-19 for patients from economically weaker sections, safety measures for under trial prisoners such as quarantine and virtual appearance before courts..The Supreme Court also permitted the service of notices and summons by email, fax, or through an instant messenger service and even the period of limitation was suspended, he said. .The CJI further highlighted how Supreme Court of India by using its public interest litigation jurisdiction, has ensured that citizens do not face barriers in access to justice"Through its judgments, the Supreme Court of India relaxed the rules of locus standi through public interest litigation in the 1980s, i.e. anyone can approach the constitutional courts in India to seek redressal of violation of fundamental rights of any person," he stated.