Sikkim India’s First Fully Paperless Judiciary State

Why in News?

During National conclave on technology & Judicial Education (NCTE), a Senior Judge of SC officially declared Sikkim as India’s first fully paperless state judiciary.

Venue: Gangtok, Sikkim

Highlights of the Initiative

• Aims to -  Resolve hurdles caused by geographical factors in the hilly terrain of Sikkim, allowing litigants to get access to justice without traveling a long distance
• Digital Judicial ecosystem —Right from HC of Sikkim to District & Subordinate courts now operates on a digital first Model.
• End-to-End Workflow -Without movement of physical files all process, including e –filing, real time case tracking & Monitoring, issue of electronic Orders & Digital case management are done digitally.

Features

• E-Filing 3.0 – Enables filing of cases 24/7 by removing the need for physical submission of petition at court counters.
• Digital Courtroom – To ensure justice comes to the doorsteps, hearings of court proceeding are done through video Conferencing.
• Integration of AI – Tool like SUVAS (Translator of Regional Language) & SUPACE (For Legal research).
• E-Sewa Kendra Desk – Is established to give Physical assistance to citizens with low digital awareness.

Significance

• Eco-Friendly Governance - In aligned with green Judiciary Vision there is great reduction in paper consumption contributing to environmental sustainability.
• Efficiency - Reduces case pendency by routine tasks automatically & gearing up the recovery of Digital records.
• Filling gap for - Remote location like North Sikkim, ensuring that the "digital highway" connects every citizen to the judicial forum, this would promote judicial inclusivity.
• National Judicial Data Grid (NJDC) – To be updated on real time bases to ensure transparency in the legal process.

For Reference: Money control | IAS Parliament

                         All India Radio | IAS Parliament