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The New Normal in the Legal Profession: Embracing Technology

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Legal Education and Legal Profession During and After COVID-19

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Abstract

The Indian legal profession was pushed to a challenge when it had to cope with the pandemic yet ensure that there were no hindrances in access to justice. This chapter will explore how Indian courts have adapted to technology during the pandemic and the possible way forward in this technological shift for the profession in the long run. It will reflect on aspects such as live-streaming of court proceedings, the Supreme Court’s e-committee and their initiatives, e-filings, virtual appearances and how these changes have impacted those in the bar and the bench over the last year. For instance, live-streaming has been seen as a welcome initiative, with the Supreme Court on the brink of finalising procedures in relation to live-streaming of its proceedings as well. It aims to comment on the possibility of a sustained adoption of aspects such as use of AI, virtual appearances and e-filings, in a post-pandemic world.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Reference [12].

  2. 2.

    Reference [38].

  3. 3.

    State of Maharashtra v. Dr. Praful Desai (2003) 4 SCC 601.

  4. 4.

    Alcatel India Limited and Anr. v. Koshika Telecom Limited 2004 (76) DRJ 524.

  5. 5.

    Bodala Murali Krishna v. Smt. Bodala Prathima AIR 2007 AP 43.

  6. 6.

    Santini v. Vijaya Venkatesh (2018) 1 SCC 62.

  7. 7.

    Anjali Chauhan v. Navin Chauhan Review Petition (Civil) 472 of 2018.

  8. 8.

    Reference [17].

  9. 9.

    Jain [27].

  10. 10.

    Reference [3].

  11. 11.

    Reference [16].

  12. 12.

    Reference [19].

  13. 13.

    Tarang Gupta v. District and Sessions Judge (HQ), Tis Hazari’s Court WP (C) 5746/2021.

  14. 14.

    Ministry of Law and Justice, ‘Justice Chandrachud inaugurates Judgments & Orders portal and e-filing 3.0 module’ (Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 12 April 2021). https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=171115. Accessed 9 July 2021 [35].

  15. 15.

    Reference [18].

  16. 16.

    Reference [24].

  17. 17.

    Reference [20].

  18. 18.

    Reference [40].

  19. 19.

    Reference [34].

  20. 20.

    Reference [37].

  21. 21.

    Kashyap [30].

  22. 22.

    Reference [39].

  23. 23.

    Reference [6].

  24. 24.

    Reference [28].

  25. 25.

    Prashant Bhushan and Anr. (2020) SCC Online SC 407.

  26. 26.

    Thakur [46].

  27. 27.

    Ibid.

  28. 28.

    Monthly Pending Cases: Supreme Court. https://main.sci.gov.in/statistics. Accessed 9 July 2021.

  29. 29.

    Khanna et al. [31].

  30. 30.

    Dave and Vyas [10].

  31. 31.

    Reference [1].

  32. 32.

    Dutt [11].

  33. 33.

    Reference [2].

  34. 34.

    Reference [5].

  35. 35.

    Reference [25].

  36. 36.

    Gunasekar [22].

  37. 37.

    Reference [21].

  38. 38.

    Reference [26].

  39. 39.

    Ibid.

  40. 40.

    Swapnil Tripathi v. Supreme Court (2018) 10 SCC 628.

  41. 41.

    Thomas [47].

  42. 42.

    Ojha [41].

  43. 43.

    Sethia and Lalit [45].

  44. 44.

    Ibid.

  45. 45.

    Reference [23].

  46. 46.

    Reference [43].

  47. 47.

    Reference [7].

  48. 48.

    Reference [9].

  49. 49.

    Reference [8].

  50. 50.

    Swapnil Tripathi v Supreme Court (2018) 10 SCC 628.

  51. 51.

    Reference [12].

  52. 52.

    Reference [15].

  53. 53.

    Reference [14].

  54. 54.

    E-committee Supreme Court of India (n 51).

  55. 55.

    Ibid.

  56. 56.

    Jauhar and Misra [44].

  57. 57.

    Reference [32].

  58. 58.

    Kapoor [29].

  59. 59.

    Sekhar et al. [42].

  60. 60.

    Sengupta, Jauhar and Mishra (n 56).

  61. 61.

    Sethia and Lalit (n 43).

  62. 62.

    Ibid.

  63. 63.

    Ibid.

  64. 64.

    Twentieth Century Fox Film v Nri Film Production Associates AIR 2003 Kant 148.

  65. 65.

    Amitabh Bagchi v Ena Bagchi AIR 2005 Cal 11.

  66. 66.

    Hani Nishad v State of UP SLP (Crl) No 8915/2018.

  67. 67.

    State of Punjab & Anr. v Rajesh Syal AIR 2002 SC 3687.

  68. 68.

    Narinderjit Singh Sahni v Union of India & Ors WP (Crl) No 245/2000.

  69. 69.

    Section 205, Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC): (1) Whenever a Magistrate issues a summons, he may, if he sees reason so to do, dispense with the personal attendance of the accused and permit him to appear by his pleader; (2) But the Magistrate inquiring into or trying the case may, in his discretion, at any stage of the proceedings, direct the personal attendance of the accused, and, if necessary, enforce such attendance in the manner hereinbefore provided.

  70. 70.

    Section 317(1), CrPC: At any stage of an inquiry or trial under this Code, if the Judge or Magistrate is satisfied, for reasons to be recorded, that the personal attendance of the accused before the Court is not necessary in the interests of justice, or that the accused persistently disturbs the proceedings in Court, the Judge or Magistrate may, if the accused is represented by a pleader, dispense with his attendance and proceed with such inquiry or trial in his absence, and may, at any subsequent stage of the proceedings, direct the personal attendance of such accused.

  71. 71.

    Section 273(1), CrPC: Except as otherwise expressly provided, all evidence taken in the course of the trial or other proceeding shall be taken in the presence of the accused, or, when his personal attendance is dispensed with, in the presence of his pleader.

  72. 72.

    Section 299(1), CrPC: If it is proved that an accused person has absconded, and that there is no immediate prospect of arresting him, the Court competent to try, or commit for trial, such person for the offence complained of may, in his absence, examine the witnesses (if any) produced on behalf of the prosecution, and record their depositions and any such deposition may, on the arrest of such person, be given in evidence against him on the inquiry into, or trial for, the offence with which he is charged, if the deponent is dead or incapable of giving evidence or cannot be found or his presence cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable.

  73. 73.

    Form No 45, Second Schedule, CrPC.

  74. 74.

    Basavaraj R Patil v State of Karnataka (2000) 8 SCC 740.

  75. 75.

    State of Maharashtra v Dr Praful Desai (2003) 4 SCC 601.

  76. 76.

    Li [33].

  77. 77.

    Reference [4].

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  1. 14 Setalvad Chambers, Opposite Supreme Court of India, Delhi, 110001, India

    Shreeyash U. Lalit

  2. Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., Amarchand Towers, 216 Okhla Ph. III, Delhi, 110020, India

    Raveena Lalit

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  1. Jindal Global Law School, O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India

    C. Raj Kumar

  2. Jindal Global Law School, O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India

    S.G. Sreejith

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Lalit, S.U., Lalit, R. (2022). The New Normal in the Legal Profession: Embracing Technology. In: Raj Kumar, C., Sreejith, S. (eds) Legal Education and Legal Profession During and After COVID-19. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2568-9_15

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