In a significant digital milestone, Chief Justice S. Muralidhar of the Orissa High Court virtually inaugurated 50 new paperless courts across 23 districts in Odisha. With this development, the total number of paperless courts in the state has now reached 100, making Odisha one of the first states in the country to achieve this feat.
District Ganjam took the lead by becoming the first district in Odisha to have all its courts operating in a paperless manner. The expansion of paperless courts is a result of the judiciary's commitment to adopting technology and promoting efficiency and accessibility in the justice system.
During the valedictory ceremony of the National Conference on Digitization, e-Initiatives, and Paperless Courts held on May 5th and 6th, 2023, Chief Justice Muralidhar pledged to open 100 paperless courts within three months. The inauguration of 50 courts in the second phase marks significant progress towards fulfilling this commitment.
Chief Justice Muralidhar acknowledged the efforts of the Odisha judiciary in embracing technology and adapting to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized that working in a paperless court enables judges to access digital case records more easily, leaving a positive impact on their workflow and mindset.
Addressing concerns about the digital divide among lawyers, the Chief Justice announced that bookmarked softcopies of paper books would be provided to them free of cost. This incentive aims to encourage younger lawyers to transition to the electronic mode and embrace the benefits of technology in legal proceedings.
Justice S. Talapatra, an HC judge, highlighted the ethical use of technology in the judiciary and stressed the importance of leveraging technology for the benefit of the underprivileged. He commended the efforts of the Odisha judiciary in making justice more accessible to all citizens, garnering recognition from various quarters.
The implementation of paperless courts and the digitization of the judicial process in Odisha aim to make justice more affordable, efficient, and effective. Chief Justice Muralidhar also expressed his plans to make an additional 50 courts operational within a month, continuing the state's journey towards comprehensive digitization.
The Odisha Judicial Academy, along with regional judicial academies, has been actively providing training to judicial officers on the utilization of paperless courts. The efforts to modernize the court system in Odisha are driven by the vision of revolutionizing the e-initiative process and transforming the architecture of the courts, ultimately benefiting both the judiciary and the people of Odisha.
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