Why is it in the news?

• During the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister launched citizen-centric information and technology initiatives aimed at enhancing judicial accessibility and efficiency.

 The initiatives include:

1) Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi SCR)

• This initiative aims to make Supreme Court judgments available to citizens of the country in electronic format free of cost.
• By digitizing these reports, individuals can access judgments conveniently from anywhere, facilitating legal research, and empowering citizens to understand legal precedents and rulings.

2) Digital Courts 2.0 under e-Courts Project

• The Digital Courts 2.0 initiative focuses on providing district court judges with electronic access to court records.
• It enables judges to access case documents and information digitally, leading to faster decision-making and improved judicial productivity.
• By leveraging AI technology, speech-to-text transcription can be performed in real-time during court proceedings.

 3) Redesigned Website of Supreme Court

• The Supreme Court launched a redesigned website with a user-friendly interface, catering to users in both English and Hindi languages.
• The user-friendly interface improves navigation and search functionalities, enabling easier access to legal resources, case status, and other relevant information.

 4) Expansion of Supreme Court Building Complex

• With an approved budget of Rs. 800 crores, the expansion of the Supreme Court building complex aims to accommodate the growing needs of the judiciary.
• The expansion project facilitates the effective functioning of the Supreme Court, providing adequate space for courtrooms, administrative offices, and support facilities.
• Since 2014, the government has disbursed over Rs. 7,000 crores for upgrading the physical infrastructure of courts across the country.