AI-powered chatbot, HTML cause lists for blind persons at Cal HC in new year
Times of India | 5 January 2025
123 Kolkata: The country's oldest court is set to integrate an AI chatbot into its official website in 2025, after taking initial steps towards including technology in the justice delivery system by starting live-streaming of court proceedings in 2023.
A chatbot is a computer program that simulates human conversation through text or speech. In their 2023-24 annual report, it was stated that a team of expert software analysts is developing the AI-powered chatbot with advanced self-learning capabilities.
In line with this, they made it accessible for persons with visual and hearing impairments by generating cause lists in HTML format, and a suitable screen reader was provided for visually impaired persons.
The next step would enable people at large to "easily access" a wide range of information about the court. "Users will be able to quickly and efficiently obtain necessary information, enhancing their overall experience and interaction with the court," said the Cal HC annual report said.
These changes to the website are part of a larger effort to make it simpler and more user-friendly.
"Staying connected in virtual mode has become an indispensable part of the justice delivery system nowadays," Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam said while virtually inaugurating a free wifi facility for advocates in the bar rooms of the Andaman Association at Port Blair in 2024.
Since the live-streaming of court proceedings was implemented in April 2023, the HC took a series of steps to keep up with technological advancements. This was later extended to the circuit benches of Jalpaiguri and Port Blair in July and Aug 2023, respectively. This implementation was largely accepted and applauded by litigants who could now watch court proceedings on smartphones. One of the objectives for its implementation was to make courts more accessible to general public in terms of their functioning.
Having successfully implemented these changes, the computer committee of the Calcutta High Court, under the leadership of the Chief Justice, took multiple steps in 2023-24, including incorporating criminal side matters on the SARTHAC portal.
An advocate said that implementing the ambitious project under the e-initiatives would also require an increase in staff. According to the annual report, the HC has already moved the state for the creation of 979 posts of data entry operators for district courts. Their vision for 2025 includes digitisation of records in the district judiciary and the creation of more virtual courts in the state.
Other e-visions for 2025 include setting up a permanent training centre at the high court for imparting training to advocates and law clerks about different e-initiatives of the high court.
Deployment and commissioning of complete video conferencing infrastructure and commissioning of e-signing facilities for digital documents in the districts are some of the other aims the high court has set for this year.