The Lockdown enforced in our country with effect from 25 March 2020, to contain the spread of COVID 19, and the recommended protocol for controlling the Pandemic, has led to the Courts in India lay down new rules for the administration of Justice. Conventional filing of cases by the Advocates, by presenting printed Petitions on paper have been substituted by “e-filing”. Judges are no longer sitting in Courts to hear Advocates and Litigants but are conducting hearings of cases from their homes through the electronic medium of “Video-Conferencing”. However, the establishment of “e-Courts”, in these times, is confined to hearing urgent cases at this moment. What needs to be considered is, if this is going to change the future scenario completely? Will Judges no longer sit in the Courts to hear cases? Will Advocates no longer come to the Courts to argue cases? Whether with the optimum utilization of the best of the technology, are we going to develop a more convenient and advanced future of the traditional litigation? Buoyed with these thoughts, Amity Law School, AUH conducted a Webinar on “Future of Litigation in India and e-Courts”.
The idea behind this Webinar was to enlighten the participants and provide them with deep insight of Future of Litigation in our Country and scope of e-Courts after this current Pandemic situation. The Panelist for said Webinar was Hon’ble Mr. Justice Swatanter Kumar, Former Judge Supreme Court of India and Former Chairperson, National Green Tribunal.
In his address, the Honoured Guest explained the traditional modus operandi of our legal system. He said that in this difficult time created by the Pandemic, a lot of hue and cry is being created regarding the functioning of Courts post this situation. He opined that India is the largest democracy in the world and we have a system for Administration of Justice, which had been established in our country more than 100 years ago and it is not so easy to take a complete shift therefrom. He said that considering the vastness of our Country, the hierarchy of Courts, the procedures to be adopted for Trials and non-availability of proper Internet Infrastructure, we cannot put the entire Judicial System to operate through e-Mode. Yes, there will be changes for which the younger generation of Advocates should keep them abreast with, he added.
Vote of Thanks was proposed by Maj Gen PK Sharma (Retd), Professor & Director, Amity Law School and Dean Faculty of Law, Amity University Haryana and gave an overview about ALS and the session.
Pranshul Pathak, Coordinator and all Faculty Members alongwith a large number of students and Advocates also attended the webinar.
