Cuttack: Inching a step forward in digitisation of judicial infrastructure, 20 paperless courts were inaugurated recently by Acting Chief Justice of Orissa High Court Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi through virtual mode.
Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra, Chairperson of Artificial Intelligence & Information Technology Committee of the Orissa HC, Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi, Member, Artificial Intelligence & Information Technology Committee of the HC and other judges of the HC were present on the occasion. District judges and judicial officers of the state joined the event through virtual mode. With the inauguration of 20 paperless courts, the number of such courts in the District Judiciary of the state has now reached 219.
In the National Conference on Digitisation, e-Initiatives and paperless courts held at Cuttack May 5 and 6, 2023, former Chief Justice of Orissa HC S Muralidhar had committed to set up 100 paperless courts in the state within three months, in addition to the 34 paperless courts existing by then. The commitment was fulfilled with inauguration of 107 such courts by August 2023, 25 by September 2023 and 40 in October 2023.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Justice Sarangi said 20 paperless courts in the sixth phase is yet another milestone crossed by the Odisha judiciary and this is a work in progress. He said the efforts of Justice S Muralidhar have led Odisha to become the leading state in the country in adaptation of technology in judiciary which has been time and again recognised by Hon’ble Chief Justice of India. The Acting Chief Justice thanked the entire state judiciary to come forward in using technology for speedy and effective justice delivery and announced that more and more courts will be made paperless every month until we achieve the goal of making the entire judiciary paperless. Justice Krushna Ram Mohapatra stressed the need to use technology for the benefit of the poor.
He congratulated the judicial officers who have come forward to make their courts paperless. Discussing the disadvantages of handling physical records in day-to-day court proceedings, Justice Mohapatra said paperless functioning has made court proceedings much smoother. He said Odisha Judiciary has been using technology in the interest of the common citizens and this has been widely acknowledged. Justice Mohapatra urged the judicial officers and lawyers to adapt to technology in the interest of people seeking justice.
