CJI Surya Kant inaugurates India's first fully paperless court in Wayanad, Kerala
CJI Surya Kant described the digitization of courts as a crucial step towards democratizing the justice delivery system.
The Chief Justice of India on January 6, 2026 inaugurated Paperless Courts in Kalpetta Judicial District in Kerala's Wayanad, through online mode. Notably, this is the first entirely paperless district court system in India.
CJI Surya Kant highlighted the importance of the initiative, terming it a step towards "green jurisprudence". "Access often depended on one's proximity to the record room or the thickness of one's brief. Today, we democratize that access with the conceptualisation of the in-house district court case management system developed by the High Court of Kerala. And that system completely alleviates the need for any form of physical filing and it provides all stakeholders with real-time access to compute electronic case records of court proceedings", he said.
Highlighting its broader impact, the Chief Justice noted that the shift goes beyond environmental benefits. He said it also promotes equality. The digital platform introduces a level of “algorithmic accountability previously unimaginable,” as every action leaves a permanent digital trail, he added.
Justice Vikram Nath, who delivered the Keynote Address said that the step is a compelling model that can be scaled up and adopted across the country. "It demonstrates that full-scale digitisation is not only possible at the district level, but achievable through careful planning and institutional commitment. It also reminds us that this is only the beginning. The paperless courts of Kalpetta stand as a powerful testament to how tradition and innovation can coexist harmoniously and purposefully in the service of justice," he added.
All courts in the Kalpetta district judiciary will now function completely without paper from filing to final orders. From the stage of inception of a case, to the pre-trial stage, recording of evidence, interlocutory proceedings, till final adjudication, every judicial process will be conducted digitally.
The event was presided over by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar. The Kalpetta paperless court demonstrates how technology, when used meaningfully, can make justice more accessible, efficient and user-friendly, Justice Jamdar said.
The event was also attended by Justice Raja
Vijayaraghavan V, Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar, Justice Anil K. Narendran, Law Minister P. Rajeev, Advocate General K. Gopalakrishna Kurup, High Court Advocates Association President Piyush A. Kottam, and Kerala Bar Council Secretary K. R. Rajkumar.