NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India N V Ramana has written to IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad seeking steps to resolve the poor digital connectivity in rural, tribal, remote and hilly areas that is “adversely impacting the pace of justice delivery”.“I asked the MEITY and the Law minister to speak to the telecom companies to provide facilities in the taluka centres to provide uninterrupted internet for lawyers to connect to courts,” Ramana said at an event organised to release a book “Anomalies in Law & Justice: Writings Related to Law & Justice” by retired Supreme Court Justice RV Raveendran.
During the event, Ramana pointed out that the issue of connectivity was brought up during a recent conference with HC Chief Justices. The CJI also said the poor connectivity in rural, tribal, remote and hilly areas is adversely impacting the pace of justice delivery and is also depriving thousands of young lawyers across the country of their livelihood. A whole generation of lawyers is being pushed out of the system due to the digital divide, said Ramana.
“I thought of calling the telecom companies myself and asking them to provide boosting systems in the remote areas for better internet access. But after considering this instead of me calling them, I asked the MEITY and the law minister to speak to the telecom companies,” he added.While emphasising the digital divide that exists especially in rural areas, the CJI said if lawyers with no facilities of technology are not taken care of, they will be put off the system.