Odisha Opens 50 Addl Paperless Courts, Total Reaches 84

Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, Dr. Justice S. Muralidhar, virtually inaugurated 50 additional Paperless Courts across 23 districts of Odisha.

The event was attended by Justice Subhasis Talapatra, Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology Committee, and other judges of the High Court.

Last year, 34 Paperless Courts were inaugurated across all 30 districts by former Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, who praised the High Court of Orissa for its e-initiatives and encouraged their replication nationwide.

During the Valedictory Ceremony of the “National Conference on Digitization, e-Initiatives and Paperless Courts” in May 2023, Chief Justice Muralidhar announced plans to open 100 Paperless Courts in the state within three months.

With this recent inauguration, the total number of Paperless Courts in the District Judiciary of Odisha has reached 84, with Ganjam district becoming the first in the state to have all its courts go paperless. The Registry further informed that an additional 50 Paperless Courts are planned to be opened in the near future.

Chief Justice Muralidhar, while addressing the virtual congregation, commended the judiciary for its adoption of technology in court functioning. He highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use of technology in the judiciary, noting that it would transform the approach of judicial officers in their work.

Drawing from his own experience, the Chief Justice explained that working in a Paperless Court made it easier for judges to access relevant digital documents, compared to handling voluminous physical records. He emphasized the positive impact of Paperless Courts on the mindset of judges and the reconfiguration of court spaces.

Chief Justice Muralidhar stressed that digitization, e-filing, and paperless courts aim to make justice more accessible, efficient, and effective. He expressed confidence that the next 50 paperless courts would be operational within a month, marking another significant milestone for the Odisha Judiciary.