CJI Surya Kant bats for tech-driven reforms in Bhutan’s judicial system

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Thursday batted for technology-driven reforms in the judicial system of Bhutan, and said access to justice depended critically on the optimum utilisation of technological advancements.

Delivering a keynote address at the Royal University of Bhutan in Thimphu on ‘Access to Justice in the 21st Century: Technology, Legal Aid and People Centred Courts’, CJI Kant also said that he had conveyed to Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay that the Supreme Court of India, along with the high courts, would be delighted to offer internship opportunities to Bhutanese students.

“Let us remember that technology is merely the modern vessel in this era, and our task is to ensure that while the tools of the 21st century are sophisticated, they remain as humble and accessible as the tongue of the people.

“In the end, what we must unflinchingly understand is that justice is not a cloistered virtue locked behind the heavy wooden doors of a courtroom; instead, it is a living presence that must be allowed to walk out into the world, into the high valleys and the bustling markets, and into the very homes of the people,” the CJI said.

He added that it would be a privilege for the Indian judiciary to facilitate student exchanges, including providing boarding and lodging where necessary, so that financial constraints do not stand in the way of meaningful legal exposure.

“Experiencing the workings of the court firsthand is an essential part of quality legal education,” he said on offering internships to Bhutanese students.

“The road ahead demands a robust resolve to stay committed to pious goals and maintain ethical standards in the judiciary while harnessing technology in the service of fairness, transparency and human dignity.

“In the 21st century, a ‘people-centred court’ is one where the complexity of the law is simplified by the elegance of technology, ensuring that the majesty of the courtroom is accessible from the palm of one’s hand.

“If we are to be true to our heritage, our technological reforms must not merely digitise the status quo, but democratise the very essence of the judicial process,” CJI Kant emphasised.

The Indian judicial system originally consisted of traditional files containing handwritten pleadings, oral witness depositions, oral submissions, seldom documented evidence, and only a written judgment, he said.

“These files were bulky, leading to space constraints for record-keeping, often in inadequate courtrooms where the judicial officer, the presiding judge, would often be found hidden behind the files.”

“The changes began to occur with improvements in judicial infrastructure, such as the establishment of more courts, additional staff, and record rooms,” the CJI said, adding that the significant change came only in the 21st century, with the legal field worldwide experiencing a significant transformation.