Madhya Pradesh High Court slams its IT wing for non-functional website; directs audit by TCS, Infosys, L&T

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered action against its Information Technology wing (IT wing) staff over repeated glitches in the court's website, which was hampering the Court's functioning, particularly e-hearing.

In an order passed on September 8, a bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and Avanindra Kumar Singh noted that the condition of the website was far from satisfactory and the Court's judicial time was being wasted due to the incompetence of the IT staff.

Hence, it directed the Chief Justice to take action against the concerned IT staff.

"The High Court Website is not support e-hearing. There are several glitches in the website. We have requested Mr. KS Kushwaha, Registrar (ITCSA) to assist us. He is reported to be on his way to the Court. However, we take a very serious view that our judicial time has been wasted due to incompetency of the IT staff. Let Hon'ble the Chief Justice take action against the concerned IT staff," the Court said.

Further, the Court also ordered the Registrar of IT at the High Court to conduct a detailed enquiry into the roadblocks to the Court's smooth functioning and submit a report within seven days.

"Let a detailed enquiry be conducted and reasons be furnished by Shri K.S. Kushwaha as to why obstacle is being caused to the working of the High Court. Action be taken against the delinquent and matter be reported to this Bench within seven days from today," the Court ordered.

Pertinently, the Court also directed that an expert team from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)/Infosys/L&T Technology Services to carry out an audit of the IT system at the High Court.

The Court passed the order while hearing an unrelated criminal matter relating to suspension of sentence and grant of bail to the accused.

During the hearing, the bench noted that the High Court website was not supporting e-hearing and lawyers were also raising concerns regarding the website.

"In the open court, lawyers appearing in this Court share their concern that new website is not at all functional, they submit that old website was better," the Court recorded in its order.

It also noted that the acting Chief Justice had shared a WhatsApp message with all the judges in the group that updation of website will take 8 days. This message is was sent on August 25/26.

"More than 15 days time has lapsed since then but the condition of the website is far from satisfactory," the Court said.

After IT Registrar Kushwaha came to the Court, the bench checked the website in his presence and the problems persisted.

"System was checked in front of Shri Kushwaha and in front of him also there are lot of buffering and hanging issues," the Court noted in its order.

In light of the above, it ordered an enquiry by the Registrar of IT and an independent audit by experts from the three IT companies.

"We direct that a team of experts from reputed companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)/Infosys/L&T Technology Services be appointed to carry out independent audit of the functioning of the I.T. System in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh. Let third party audit be carried out within 30 days and report be furnished to this Court," the order said.

This team may also include Officers from C-DOT (Centre For Development Of Telematics) of Government of India and MASSCOM, the Court added.