By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 09, 2020: NITI  Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant said on Tuesday that one of the most encouraging developments in recent times has been the adoption of technology by courts in order to encourage access to justice even during the pandemic.

NITI Aayog in association with Patna High Court organized the inaugural meeting with a focus on broader engagement on efficient and affordable access to justice for all, through the interplay of technology, law and innovation in the post pandemic world.

In his welcoming address, Mr Kant shared his appreciation for the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) which is the resolution of disputes, particularly small and medium value cases, using digital technology and techniques of alternate dispute resolution (ADR), such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.

"This historic meeting is the start of a collaborative exercise that sets into motion the use of technology towards efficient and affordable access to justice in our post-pandemic response," said Mr Kant. He also mentioned that "one of the most encouraging developments recently is how progressive and in fact innovative the courts have been in adopting technology."

Chief Justice Mr Sanjay Karol of Patna High Court in his address affirmed that all officers of his court have "taken a vow since March of this year to transform justice delivery."

"We are dealing with a huge pendency of very old cases and new cases are arising. It requires a huge transformation in mindsets to deal with this challenge. We will work with NITI Aayog to outline a plan for finding a solution and ensure justice is both effective and expeditious," he said.

Over 1,000 attendees participated in the online meeting as they deliberated on the way forward for ensuring equitable and effective justice delivery for one and all.