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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court on the 77th Independence Day launched several new information and communication technology (ICT) projects.

The several new projects include, “digital platform for sharing trial court record” and its “web accessibility complaint cause list” for visually impaired lawyers, litigants and public at large by using accessibility text to speech software.

The projects were inaugurated by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Justice Rajiv Shakdher, Chairman, Information Technology Committee, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Justice Sanjeev Narula, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, Member Information Technology Committee and the other companion judges.

The program was also attended by Registrar General, Registrar (Vigilance), Principal District & Sessions Judge, Family Court and Commercial Court Judges, Additional Solicitor General, Standing Counsel Civil & Criminal, GNCTD, Principal Secretary (Law, Justice & Legislative Affairs), President & Secretary, Delhi High Court BAR Association, NIC officials and other dignitaries.

Ten new websites of all the Delhi District Courts were launched on S3WaaS platform

Earlier the district courts websites were operating on Drupal platform. Secure, Scalable & Sugamya Website as a Service ( S3WaaS) websites are GIGW Compliant (Guidelines for Indian Government websites), based on Open-Source Technology, integrated search and are Accessibility Complaint.

All documents on the websites are kept in O.C.R. format so that visually impaired persons can access documents with ease. The data of previous websites is also migrated to the new platform.

The Digital Platform for Sharing of Trial Court Records (T.C.R.) with the High Court was also launched

Earlier the T.C.R. was shared with the High Courts in CDs. District Courts used to procure around Rs 8,000/CDs every year for sharing the T.C.R. record. Due to wear & tear the CDs used to get corrupted and damaged.

With this facility, the district courts can seamlessly share the T.C.R. record with the High Court through a SSL VPN-based platform. An office order bearing no 1317/DHC/CPC Sec./2023 dated 10.08.2023 has been already issued for digital transfer of the Trial Court Record (TCR) with the High Court.

The High Court of Delhi also launched its Web Accessibility Compliant Cause List

“The Hon’ble e-Committee, Supreme Court of India has issued an SOP for generating documents that are accessible to the disabled. The Accessibility Committee is constituted in the High Court under the chairmanship of HMJ Rajiv Shakhder to execute this mandate. After taking feedback from the stakeholders and with assistance of visually impaired Advocates Mr. Rahul Bajaj and Mr. Amar Jain the cause list of the High Court of Delhi is made web accessibility compliant”, the press note stated.

The ‘Web Accessibility Compliant Cause List’ will help the visually impaired Advocates, Litigants and Public at large to access the cause list of the Delhi High Court seamlessly by using various accessibility text-to-speech software.

The High Court also announced that an Accessibility committee will be also constituted in all the District Courts.

“The details of such committees will be published on the website of the District Courts and the High Court. Any Advocate, Litigant or public at large can raise grievances and seek assistance of these committees for various accessibility related needs. A feedback form is also provided on the new S3WaaS website of the District Courts wherein the requests, suggestions and grievances can be submitted online”, the press release stated.

“It was also announced that directions have been also issued to the Delhi Judicial Academy to conduct regular training programmes for lawyers and court staff for creating accessible documents and dealing with the needs of persons with disabilities with appropriate care and sensitivity”, it added.

The High Court has already launched projects like e-filing, e-Inspection of records, Digital Traffic Courts, Hybrid e-Seva Kendra etc. Accessibility-oriented I.C.T. initiatives will serve as a giant leap in making digital ecosystem accessibility needs complaint and will pave the way for other Courts to follow pursuit.