2 min readGangtokMay 2, 2026 05:10 AM IST
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday said integrating technology into judicial processes dismantles geographical barriers to help litigants overcome problems of terrain, finance and distance.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day National Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education here, the CJI also said the Indian legal landscape has moved away from the era of the paper trail, where vital records languished in physical storage, to a vibrant digital ecosystem.
He also declared Sikkim to be the first paperless state judiciary in the nation. “When we speak of integrating technology into judicial processes across the country, we are, in effect, addressing the dismantling of geographical constraints, whether they arise from difficult terrain, financial barriers, or sheer distance,” he said. The journey to a courtroom was often measured as a test of endurance, the Chief Justice of India said.
“The mighty Himalayas, magnificent as they are, make movement slow and uncertain. If we look at the scenario just a decade or so ago, for a Sikkimese litigant seeking justice, distance was not measured in kilometres but in days of travel across narrow paths and unpredictable weather,” he said.
The CJI said digital reform is not a matter of theory, but a practical necessity for sustaining the rule of law.
“We have moved away from the era of the paper trail, where vital records languished in physical storage, to a vibrant digital ecosystem. The e-Courts project has rewritten the relationship between the litigant and the law,” he said.
What once required physical presence and toilsome inquiry is now available through a simple digital interface, CJI Kant said.
