The Chief Justice of India (CJI) plays an instrumental role in the Indian judiciary system. Recently, the CJI made a significant contribution to the 18th meeting of the Chief Justices/Chairpersons of the Supreme Courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. This conference was an excellent platform for member and observer states to discuss and reflect upon the challenges that are common in their jurisdictions. The participants emphasized the need for mutual cooperation and the sharing of experiences and wisdom gathered.
Major Highlights of the Meeting
One of the key issues discussed in the meeting was the necessity of judicial cooperation and the introduction of new mechanisms to simplify court processes to make them more accessible to the common people. In line with this, the CJI underscored the importance of technology in bridging the gap between citizens and the justice system.
The Role of Technology in Judiciary
The CJI detailed recent initiatives by the Supreme Court of India that utilize technology to enhance accessibility and efficiency. These include the launch of an e-version of Supreme Court reports, live transcription of court proceedings via artificial intelligence, and the translation of judgments into multiple regional languages.
Key Issues Discussed
In addition to the technological advancements, the meeting also highlighted various issues challenging the judiciary system. These include overcrowded prisons, access to quality legal representation, labour-intensive public judicial services, an overload of court work due to limited judicial resources, high pendency of cases, and inadequate infrastructure facilities.
Overview of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
Founded in 2001, the SCO is a regional intergovernmental organisation that promotes collaboration amongst its member states in security, economy, and cultural domains. The precursor to the SCO was the Shanghai Five, consisting of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The group was renamed to the SCO following Uzbekistan’s accession in 2001, with India and Pakistan becoming members in 2017.
Iran is set to become the newest member of the SCO when it joins the forum in April 2023 under India’s chairmanship. The SCO’s structure includes several councils for internal functioning and interaction with other states and international organisations. The official working languages of the SCO Secretariat are Russian and Chinese.
Concluding Remarks and Future Plans
The meeting concluded with the agreement of shared goals for the future of the judiciary across member states. The responsibility of hosting the next meeting of Chief Justices/Chairmans in 2024 has been entrusted to Uzbekistan. This event plays an important role in shaping strategies and solutions for the judiciary system within the context of the SCO.
