Technology must become a constitutional instrument, not a mere administrative tool: CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant recently said that technology has evolved from being a tool of convenience to a “constitutional instrument” that must strengthen equality, predictability and access to justice.

He emphasised that technology should not merely change how courts function but transform how justice is experienced by citizens.

“Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency,” the Chief Justice said.

He was delivering the keynote address at the West Zone–I Regional Conference in Jaisalmer on the theme ‘Advancing Rule of Law through Technology: Challenges and Opportunities.’

The Chief Justice said that a citizen’s faith in the justice system depends on certainty - certainty that the law will be applied consistently, rights will be protected and public power will be held accountable. He stressed that courts must therefore use technology to make justice transparent, timely and principled.

In his address, he said the time had come for Indian courts to adopt a 'Unified Judicial Policy' that ensures uniformity of process and coherence of outcomes across jurisdictions without erasing the federal character of the judiciary.

“As technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals,” he said.

He explained that this unified approach would require harmonising procedural norms, creating a shared digital architecture, and standardising judgment formats and case management systems to ensure that citizens across the country have an equal experience of justice.

The Chief Justice underlined that predictability of outcomes was “the soul of the Rule of Law,” adding that a justice system that operates unpredictably weakens public confidence.

He said that data-driven dashboards and digital monitoring can make judicial performance visible, transparent and measurable.

“When judicial outcomes reflect principled reasoning, consistent application of law, and transparent evolution of doctrine, confidence in the courts strengthens, as people come to understand that justice is not dependent on chance but guided by established norms,” he said.

He also drew attention to prioritisation of cases where delay causes deep harm, such as those involving life, liberty, and livelihood. He said that within a week of assuming office, he had directed that all matters involving urgent interim relief be listed within two days of curing of defects.

“The idea is simple - where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency. Technology enables that prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time, and ensuring transparent listing protocols,” he said.

Justice Kant further observed that technology can help strengthen the discipline of following precedents - the foundation of the rule of law - by making them accessible, cross-referenced and consistently applied across courts.

“A precedent is not merely a past decision but the Court’s enduring promise to treat equals equally. It safeguards judicial conscience and assures every litigant that outcomes flow not from personalities, but from principles,” he said.

He also urged that judgments must be written in clear, accessible language, noting that uniformity in judicial expression is vital for public trust.

“I have come across the plight of several litigants who said that although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical or vague to understand,” he said.

The Chief Justice noted that platforms like the National Judicial Data Grid, e-courts, and digital case management systems were already moving the judiciary toward a more harmonised and transparent model.

Emerging tools could identify similar cases, detect conflicting judgments, translate decisions instantly, and make digital records accessible across the country, he said.

He concluded by saying that technology is only the medium, the judiciary’s vision must remain rooted in constitutional values.

“Technology is the medium, but judicial vision is the message. The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served,” the Chief Justice said.