The Hindu : National : Model e-court launched

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Tuesday, Feb 10, 2009
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National

Model e-court launched

Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD: The first model e-court in the country that will make the judicial process more transparent and justice delivery system speedier, besides removing the bottlenecks was launched by the Gujarat High Court here on Sunday.

Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan inaugurated the first e-court, which started functioning on a pilot basis at the Ahmedabad City Civil and Sessions Court on Monday, providing tamperproof authentic audio-video recording of proceedings with multi-point video conferencing facilities linking the courtroom, central jail, the police commissioner’s office and the Forensic Science Laboratory.

The e-court project would save thousands of man hours the police lose in making security arrangements for bringing under-trials to court and nullify the chances of escape during transit operations.

The under-trials lodged in the central jail could be virtually presented before the court through video conferencing.

More planned

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Balakrishnan said efforts would be made to open similar e-courts in Mumbai and in other parts of the country at the earliest.

For the judiciary, the advantage would be that the entire proceedings would be video-recorded and available for review in case of any doubt.

The “biggest advantage would be when the witnesses turn hostile in the court rooms or in reviewing the statements of the lawyers,” Principal Sessions Judge G. B. Shah said.

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