Tech Powers Equality Before Law, Boosts Access To Justice: CJI
Bharat cannot become $10 trillion economy by capital or policy alone: CJI Surya Kant
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology has evolved into a “constitutional instrument” that strengthens equality before the law and expands access to justice.
He also called for an overhaul of legal architecture to meet the demands of an evolving economy and said that the country’s transformation into a $10 trillion economy cannot be achieved through capital or policy alone and that the quality of the legal system would be a crucial factor.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of the National Conference on Judicial Process Re-engineering and Digital Transformation and later at the ‘Rule of Law Convention 2026’, organised by the Bar Association of India.
At the core of any justice system, he said, lies the assurance that every individual, irrespective of means, can access justice in a fair, timely and effective manner. Addressing Supreme Court judges, High Court judges, judicial officers and district judges in the presence of Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Jitin Prasada, he said reforms must be assessed by how effectively citizens and stakeholders benefit.
“We must ensure that every court serves as an integrated digital court equipped not only with hybrid hearing facilities, but capable of functioning as a fully paperless court. Technology has become a constitutional instrument. It is no longer an administrative convenience; it is a tool that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and allows the judiciary to transcend procedural rigidities,” the CJI said.
He said the judiciary envisages a “natively digital” ecosystem where justice is seamless, transparent and universally accessible.
“I am confident that we will surely rise to the occasion. A USD 10 trillion mark will not be built by capital or policy alone. It will be built in no small part by the quality of the legal system that upholds the rule of law and the promises on which all of that depends. Our country never lacked the legal talent to build that system. And what this convention affirms is that it does not lack the will as well,” he said.
He said long-term economic growth would depend on attracting patient capital that relies on institutional reliability. “This is capital that is patient, long-term and dependent on institutional reliability; whether it is a pension fund investment in infrastructure, a technology company transferring proprietary know-how, or a global manufacturer establishing an integrated supply chain, these are not short-term bets, they are commitments that unfold over time,” he said.
Investors, he added, would assess whether the legal system remains consistent and predictable over the duration of their commitments. He also identified specialisation as a key requirement for strengthening the system.
