New Delhi: Launching a digital database for the Supreme Court in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the country needs technology to make the judiciary more effective and going paperless is also a must to save the environment.
"IT + IT = IT", he said much to the bafflement of the audience he was addressing at the launch of the Supreme Court's new digital filing system. The PM then described what he meant: "Information technology Indian Talent = India Tomorrow."
Calling digitisation a change that everyone needs to adapt to, PM Modi said that technology can change the whole "economic environment".
PM Modi also urged the legal fraternity to take initiative and provide legal help to the poor.
"To make the judiciary more effective, use of forensic science and technology is very important... The world is moving very fast and we have to cope up to avoid being left behind," Modi said while launching the Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS) in New Delhi.
ICMIS, a hybrid database that will aid the apex court go paperless, helps with digital filing of cases called e-filing, and enable litigants to easily access the information online.
The Prime Minister uploaded the ICMIS on the Supreme Court's website at a function in Vigyan Bhawan in the presence of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
"When we use an A4 size paper, we don't realise that ten litres of water is used to make one such paper sheet... If we go paperless, we can save a lot of forests, power and the environment... such a paperless system has a lot of power," PM Modi said.
"On this occasion, I request the advocates to step forward and take an initiative to provide legal help to the poor and needy people of the nation," PM Modi said, making a reference to 'Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Yojana', a scheme for free medical checkups to pregnant women on the ninth of every month. He said that many private practitioners have also come forward to help.
PM Modi, reiterating some of India's technological milestones, added that the country is lagging in applicable science.
"Today, India is lauded by the world for its fine space technology. We are the first to reach Mars in the first attempt at a cost cheaper than many Hollywood films... yet unfortunately we lag behind in applicable science," PM Modi said.
"The way technology is driving us, if we won't cope up then we will have to face hardships," he said.
Reiterating his government's initiative of going cashless, PM Modi added that while e-governance is easy, effective, economic and an environment friendly way of governance, the challenge is how to incorporate it.
"Technology can change the whole economical environment. My experience is that people have started to realise the value of digitisation," PM Modi said.
PIB press release: PM attends event to mark introduction of digital filing as a step towards paperless Supreme CourtThe Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today uploaded the Integrated Case Management Information System on the Supreme Court website, which marks the introduction of digital filing – a step towards paperless Supreme Court.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice J.S. Khehar, recalled the Sesquicentennial Celebrations of Allahabad High Court on 2nd April this year. He said that on that day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a strong case for introducing technology to ease the working of courts. Explaining the benefits of the digital filing application, the Chief Justice of India described this initiative as the biggest leap towards introducing technology in the judicial system.
Making a presentation on the application, Shri Justice Khanwilkar said the new initiative would be an illustration of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad appreciated the Supreme Court for this digital innovation.
In his remarks on the occasion, the Prime Minister greeted the gathering on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. He also recalled that today – 10th May – marks the anniversary of the beginning of the First War of Independence in 1857.
The Prime Minister recalled the Chief Justice of India’s appeal at Allahabad on 2nd April, for the higher judiciary to take up hearings of cases on at least some days during the vacation. He said the appeal was inspirational, and he has heard very encouraging news in this regard from the Supreme Court and the High Courts. He said this spirit brings about a positive change, and engenders a sense of responsibility. He added that it also creates trust among the common people, which is the key to ‘New India.’
The Prime Minister said that technology had often been equated to hardware in the past, and therefore, it is important to bring about a change in mindset. He said technology can only be embraced collectively within an institution. He said paperless initiatives save the environment, and are therefore a great service for future generations.
Speaking of the benefits of technology, the Prime Minister recalled the recently organized “Hackathon,” where 400 issues across Ministries in the Government of India were identified, and 42,000 students from Indian Universities spent 36 hours in an attempt to solve them. He said that Ministries were adapting many of the outcomes of this exercise.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the combination of “Information Technology” and “Indian Talent” would create “India Tomorrow.”
Dwelling on the theme of technology, the Prime Minister spoke of the implications and possibilities that “Artificial Intelligence” could bring about.
The Prime Minister mentioned several occasions in the recent past, when people from various walks of life had come forward to help the poor. In this context, he recalled the success of the “Give-It-Up” movement to give up LPG subsidy. Similarly, he mentioned the initiative taken by doctors across the country to treat poor pregnant women free of cost on the 9th of every month. In the same vein, he urged lawyers to come forward to provide pro-bono legal aid to the poor and needy.
Shri Justice Dipak Misra and Shri Justice J Chelameswar were also present on the occasion.
