Bhubaneswar: Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud Friday inaugurated 10 virtual high courts at as many districts of Odisha through a videoconference from Delhi.
The inaugural event was held at Odisha Judicial Academy in Cuttack, where Orissa High Court Chief Justice S Muralidhar and other judges of the high court were present.
With this, Odisha became the first state in the country to have virtual high courts in districts.
The new virtual high courts were inaugurated at Balasore, Ganjam’s Berhampur, Bhadrak, Kalahandi’s Bhawanipatna, Khurda’s Bhubaneswar, Bolangir, Koraput’s Jeypore, Puri, Sundargarh’s Rourkela and Sambalpur. The remaining 20 districts of the state are likely to get the benefit by March this year, said a source.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice S Muralidhar said that setting up virtual high courts in the districts is a big step forward. “If it succeeds, it will change the face of the judiciary.”
Delivering the inaugural address, CJI DY Chandrachud applauded the initiative of the Orissa High Court and said that it has been a trailblazer in e-Initiatives and the movements spearheaded by it will turn into a national movement when the other high courts in the country will follow the suit.
The CJI said while most of the high courts have only one seat and few high courts have second benches, the Orissa High Court will be the first to be accessible from all the districts of the state.
He congratulated the HC Chief Justice saying that it has been possible due to his dynamic leadership.
The CJI said the virtual high courts in districts will ensure decentralisation of administration of justice and ensure accessibility of the high court to the advocates of remote districts. He added that talent has no geographical boundaries and videoconferencing facility in the virtual high courts will give exposure to the legal talents of the smaller cities which often find it difficult to practice in the high court due to lack of accessibility.
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