Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Thursday announced that the Supreme Court will begin sharing information regarding cause lists, case filing, and case listing with advocates via WhatsApp messages.
Constitution Bench
The announcement came before a nine-judge bench, who was hearing a complex legal matter arising from petitions questioning whether private properties can be considered “material resources of the community” under Article 39(b) of the Constitution, a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
“In its 75th year, the Supreme Court initiates a program to enhance access to justice by integrating WhatsApp messages with the IT services of the Supreme Court,” the CJI stated.
Now, advocates will receive automated messages about case filings, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud stated. He mentioned that members of the bar will also receive cause lists on their mobile phones as soon as they are published. A cause list outlines the cases to be heard by a court on a particular day.
“This is another revolutionary step,” remarked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
Do & Don’t
Additionally, the CJI shared the Supreme Court’s official WhatsApp number and clarified that it will not be accepting messages or calls.
“This will bring significant change to our working habits and will greatly reduce paper usage,” stated Justice Chandrachud. Under CJI Chandrachud’s leadership, the Supreme Court has been undertaking measures to digitize the judiciary’s operations. He noted that the Centre has allocated Rs 7,000 crore for the e-court project.
The solicitor general echoed the central government’s commitment to digitizing the judiciary to improve access for both litigants and lawyers.
