The traditional legal system primarily relies upon litigation as a premier method of dispute resolution and the same equally applies to India as well. This dependence upon a single medium of dispute resolution has unnecessarily overburdened Indian courts. There are certain matters that can be effectively taken care of by “Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism” (ADRM). This ADRM consists of methods like Arbitration, Mediation, etc. These methods are not only effective but also economical and efficacious. They will go a long way in empowering people with right to speedy trial in India that is a Fundamental Right within the meaning of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
With the advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) both the traditional legal system as well as the ADRM got empowerment and strength. As a natural corollary the tool of ADRM also got a transformed counterpart in the form of “Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Mechanism (ODRM). The ultimate solution to the “backlog” problem in Indian courts is the optimum use of ODRM in India. The same may, however, face the jurisdictional issues arising within India as well as outside India. Although ODR in India has started gaining momentum yet there is lot to be done. If we analyse the culture of ADR in India then one fact is very clear. In India we have not yet given due importance to the ADRM, much less to ODRM. The e-governance plan of India is silent in this regard. This is one of the flaws of the ICT strategy of India that is not in conformity with the contemporary standards. The e-governance in India is not taking care of the ODR perspective and the same will be a fatal mistake by all counts. We do not have a base for Intellectual Property Rights and International Trade related disputes. Even the domain name dispute resolution in India is missing. Similarly, International Commercial Arbitration in India also needs a different outlook in the present circumstances. We need to capatilise “collective expertise” and an “ideal public-private partnership” base in India. The launch of PTLB as the premier authority for ADR and ODR in India would go a long way in transforming ADR into ODR in India. The initiative titled ICT HELPDESK and WTO will cover the International Trade segment. If India has to survive the increasing dispute resolution pressure then it must cover the journey from ADR to ODR as soon as possible.
Similarly, efforts must be undertaken for the establishment of electronic courts in India. The establishments of digital evidencing and techno-legal base[1] are absolute requirements in India. There is also a dire need of judicial reforms in India keeping in mind the requirements of ICT. The establishment of e-courts in India would be a good step in this direction. These mandates have been sufficiently indicated and suggested in the annual evaluation of Perry4Law titled ICT trends in India in 2006. We have to take care of both technological as well as legal issues associated with the use of ICT. Thus, a techno-legal base is the need of the hour. We have launched the first ever Techno-Legal Base in India that is known as Perry4Law’s Techno-Legal Base TM/SM * (PTLB TM/SM*). PTLB TM/SM* and ICT HELPDESK TM/SM* are coordinating various International and National initiatives that primarily rely upon ICT for their successful operation and existence. PTLB TM/SM* would develop and implement an Inter-Country teaching and research infrastructure in the legal field that would be capable of meeting the challenges posed by the ICT regime. It would try to improve the current legal education practices by adapting them as per the ICT mandates.[2]
The Government must change gears now as the speed of reforms is grossly inadequate. It is high time that the Government must establish a specialised institution as per the requirements of UNDP and European Union so that foreign aid and grants can be utilised appropriately and legally. We must have a suitable e-infrastructure that is capable of meeting the needs of contemporary society. Perry4Law’s famous Techno-Legal and ICT Segment PTLB TM/SM* will provide Techno-Legal and ICT service pertaining to Cyber Law, Cyber Forensics Cyber Security, Techno-Legal E-learning Services, Due Diligence Compliance, Techno-Legal Audit, E-commerce, E-governance, ADR and ODR, IPRs, International Trade etc. We would also provide a “legislative framework” that could be effective for meeting the requirements of e-courts in India and an ODR base in India. In fact Perry4Law is receiving tons of appreciation letters and requests for extending its Techno-Legal and ICT related expertise for the establishment of e-courts in foreign countries.[3] We hope that our initiatives would prove effective for providing a Techno-legal direction to Indian ICT strategy. Some of the International and National initiatives, collaborations and coordinating efforts of Perry4Law, PTLB TM/SM* and ICT HELPDESK TM/SM are as follow:
(a) E-governance and justice in India
(b) Online Dispute Resolution in India
(c) Judicial reforms in India through use of ICT
(d) Enforcing rule of justice through e-governance
(e) Dataquest-Changing the order
(f) E-judiciary and e-lawyering in India, etc.
Let us hope that the initiatives of e-judiciary segment in general and Perry4Law in particular would prove a good step in the right direction and that also at a time when we need it most.
[1] http://perry4law.blogspot.com/2006/06/need-of-techno-legal-compliance-in.html
[2] Praveen Dalal, “ Techno-Legal Education in India”, http://cyberlawindia.blogspot.com/2006/12/techno-legal-education-in-india.html
[3] One of the e-mails to Perry4Law reads like this “Recently, Brazilian congress has approved a law which adopts the use of ICT in judicial acts. This new law is very advanced and wishes to replace physical process for a total virtual one. I have many doubts about it and I really would like to share your ideas and to understand how India is adopting this technology for judicial purposes”.
Source: Electronic Courts In India.
E Courts 4 Justice (EC4J) 