Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that the use of technology in the judicial system can ensure transparency, productivity and efficiency.

He said this while inaugurating the North Zone-II Regional Conference on ‘Contemporary Judicial Development and Strengthening Justice through Law and Technology’ here on Saturday.

The chief minister highlighted the importance of technology in making the lives of common people easier in every field, including the judiciary.

Emphasising the need to view technology as an ally in bringing about change and strengthening the judicial system, he said that with the inclusion of modern technology, the functioning of the judiciary has accelerated, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual hearings had proved a boon for all, which saved both money and time of the people.

He said that a reliable and speedy judicial system is essential for a healthy and self-confident society, as well as for the development of the country and when justice is seen being served, the faith of the common man in the constitutional institutions gets strengthened and continuous improvement of law and order becomes possible.

The delay in justice is one of the biggest challenges being faced by the country and the judiciary is seriously working to solve this problem, said Sukhu.

“The Alternative Dispute Redressal option as a means of resolving disputes and preparing the legal education in line with technology should be an important goal for all those associated with this profession,” he said.

He expressed hope that the conference would go a long way in deriving new ideas and pave the way for legal reforms in the country thereby providing justice to the people of the country at the earliest.

Sukhu said that he himself was a law student, and has a keen interest in the subject.

He stated that Himachal Pradesh has contributed four judges to the Supreme Court of India, which is a matter of great pride for all of us.

Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh Justice, Tarlok Singh Chauhan said that the judiciary being an important pillar of the state plays a vital role in shaping and interpreting the Constitution. He said that the conference is focused on deliberations on the development of technology including artificial intelligence, crypto-currency, information and communication technology in Courts.

The two-day conference is being attended by approximately 160 Judges of the Supreme Court of India, High Courts and Subordinate Courts of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and was organized by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in collaboration with National Judicial Academy Bhopal.