Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Thursday announced that the Supreme Court will start sharing information relating to cause lists, and filing and listing of cases to advocates through WhatsApp messages.
The aforesaid announcement was made by the Chief Justice before a nine-judge bench that commenced the hearing on a vexed legal question arising from the petitions whether private properties can be considered material resources of the community under Article 39(b) of the Constitution, which is a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).
Speaking about the initiative, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said that in the 75th year, the Supreme Court launched the initiative to strengthen access to justice by integration of WhatsApp messages with the IT services of the Supreme Court.
He added that now, the advocates will receive automated messages about filing the cases. He further mentioned that the members of the bar will also get the cause lists, as and when they are published, on mobile phones. Notably, a cause list features the cases to be heard by a court on a given day.
Reacting to the news, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that this is another revolutionary step. The Chief Justice also shared the Supreme Court’s official WhatsApp number and stated that it will not be receiving any messages and calls.
DY Chandrachud also expressed that the new initiative will bring a significant change in our working habits and will go a long way in saving papers. The apex court under the leadership of CJI DY Chandrachud has been taking steps to digitise the functioning of the judiciary.
CJI DY Chandrachud also affirmed that the Centre has sanctioned Rs 7,000 crore for the e-court project. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta shared the views of the central government and said it was committed to the digitisation of the judiciary to enhance the access for common litigants and lawyers.