KALPETTA: From online hearings and AI-assisted transcription to digital case bundles and issuance of e-summons, the paperless court system introduced on January 6 is already reshaping day-to-day judicial proceedings in Wayanad.
As an initial step, the system is operating in a hybrid mode with judges and advocates using both digital and paper records. Computers have been installed at the district court in Kalpetta, while advocates appearing before other Wayanad courts are using electronic devices to access case records. Digitisation in the rest of the courts is under way.
“For the past seven to eight months, courts in Wayanad have been using voice-to-text AI transcription technology to record proceedings, from witness statements to verdicts. With the new system in place, judges, advocates, police officials and even parties to a case no longer need to carry physical documents to court,” said Adv Shyju Manisseril, the Kalpetta Bar Association president.
All case-related information is now accessible through digital systems installed on the court premises. The District Court Case Management System (DCMS), developed under the supervision of the Kerala High Court, forms the backbone of the paperless initiative.
“Case details can be retrieved through the ‘case bundle’ option by entering the case number in the DCMS. Advocates and parties to a case can simultaneously access the information through monitors placed inside court chambers. Even summons are now being issued digitally and delivered as messages, replacing traditional paper notices,” he said.
Advocates have also been permitted to use e-notepads for case preparation and submission of records. To ensure a smooth transition, judges and lawyers are undergoing training on the new digital processes.
“We have been accustomed to the analogue system. A complete transition to digital will take time,” Shyju added. Under the new system, all stages of judicial work, including the recording of facts, issuance of interim orders and publication of final judgments, will be done digitally. It is expected ease file disposal, reduce the cost of court proceedings and cut delays in handling cases. Filing processes and virtual hearings are also expected to become more transparent and time-bound.
The project includes the digitisation of old documents and digital recording of witness statements to ensure end-to-end paperless court proceedings.
The paperless system was inaugurated by Supreme Court Chief Justice Surya Kant via an online event held at the Kerala HC. Describing the initiative as a crucial step towards democratising the justice delivery system, he said the shift went beyond environmental benefits, noting that in a paper-based system access often depended on proximity to record rooms or the speed at which documents could be retrieved.
Kerala Law Minister P Rajeeve also welcomed the initiative. “It is a matter of great joy that the Kalpetta court has become the first paperless judicial district court in the country. We can certainly be proud that the first such model in India has emerged from Kerala,” he wrote on Facebook.
First in india
Kalpetta becomes India’s first paperless district court
Digitisation under way in other courts across Wayanad
All stages — orders, judgments, filings — to be fully digital
Old records being digitised for end-to-end paperless functioning
Summons issued digitally and delivered as messages