In India, courts are experimenting with videoconferencing to take up emergency matters amid the lockdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. While steps to preserve the status quo have been taken, such as the limitation period and the extension of the temporary order, the moratorium on debt payments, a range of legal issues remain in need of adjudication. The unpredictable lockdown has crippled the judicial system and rendered it incapable of ensuring its constitutional mandate -- that of providing access to justice at all times.
The catch-up game being played right now has revealed the fault lines in the system. At its best, a reactionary approach will satisfy short-term needs. Besides, it also offers an illustration of a rudimentary digital court that uses simple electronic mail facilities and communication software that is not expressly intended for court proceedings. Unless a conscious effort is taken to build systems for the present and the future by leveraging the use of technology, the judiciary risks becoming an idle pillar of democracy in times of crisis.
Find below, the List of Digital Courts that are currently being operated within Delhi:
