Reimagining the Indian Judiciary in Digital Era: A critical study

The Indian judiciary occupies a central position in the constitutional architecture of the country, entrusted with the protection of fundamental rights and the administration of justice. However, chronic delays, procedural rigidity, and an ever-expanding docket of pending cases have progressively eroded public confidence in the justice delivery system. In response to these systemic challenges, the Indian Government started the “E-Courts Mission Mode Project” in 2007 with the objective of enhancing judicial efficiency through technological integration. Although the project demonstrated initial promise, its impact remained limited for several years due to infrastructural and institutional constraints.The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic marked a decisive turning point, compelling courts across the country to adopt digital tools such as video-conferencing and electronic filings to ensure continuity of judicial functioning. In this context, digitalisation has emerged not merely as an administrative reform but as a structural transformation of the justice delivery mechanism. The Indian judiciary is presently navigating a transitional phase marked by expanding digital infrastructure, paperless court initiatives, and the incorporation of advanced technologies including artificial intelligence.Against this backdrop, the present paper critically examines the development of judicial digitalisation in India, the legislative and policy frameworks governing it, the practical and constitutional challenges involved in implementation, and the prospective roadmap for a technologically resilient judiciary.