68 pilgrims from India die due to heat in Makkah, state reports
Riyadh: At least 550 people, including 68 pilgrims from India, have died due to scorching heat during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah, as reported by international media.
The news agencies, citing two Arab diplomats’ statements, reported on Tuesday that several pilgrims developed health issues and died on account of the heat. The Saudi Arabian authorities are yet to officially release the number of deaths of the pilgrims, although an official read out the names of the pilgrims who had died as well as their nationalities, including Indians, Egyptians and Algerians. Several countries too have reported cases of their pilgrims dying due to the heat in Makkah as well as Jordan and Tunisia. The media has reported that 323 Egyptians had died in the heat in Makkah.
The temperature in the shade at the Grand Mosque, Makkah, went up to 51.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, as reported by the Saudi Arabian media. Prior to the news of pilgrims’ deaths, the local authorities had reportedly not found cases of unnatural death among the Muslim pilgrims, in spite of the high temperature. Onlookers, however, are learned to have mentioned cases of the pilgrims fainting during the symbolic stoning of the devil.
The medical complex in Makkah was found to have been provided strict security and only people claiming to be relatives of the dead were permitted to enter the complex.
The Hajj pilgrimage commenced on Friday this year, with millions of Muslims visiting Makkah annually, and ended on Wednesday. More than 1.83 million Muslims visited Makkah this year, including 1.6 million pilgrims from 22 countries, as per the figures provided by the Saudi Hajj authorities.
Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesperson for the Saudi National Meteorological Center (NMC) reportedly stated that, following the Saudi Gazette, next year's Hajj will be the last Hajj in the summer season. The Hajj season will enter a new phase of climate change during the year 2026 and summer Hajj would not be held until after 17 years, Qahtani is learned to have declared.
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CJI calls for 'unified judicial policy', use of technology to converge practices across courts
Jaisalmer (PTI): Pushing for a "unified judicial policy", Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said technology can help align standards and practices across courts, creating a "seamless experience" for citizens, regardless of their location.
He said high courts -- due to the federal structure -- have had their own practices and technological capacities, and "regional barriers" can be broken down with technology to create a more unified judicial ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address at the West Zone Regional Conference in Jaisalmer, Kant proposed the idea of a "national judicial ecosystem" and called for an overhaul of India's judicial system with the integration of technology.
"Today, as technology reduces geographical barriers and enables convergence, it invites us to think of justice not as regional systems operating in parallel, but as one national ecosystem with shared standards, seamless interfaces, and coordinated goals," he said.
He emphasised how the role of technology in the judiciary has evolved over time.
"Technology is no longer merely an administrative convenience. It has evolved into a constitutional instrument that strengthens equality before the law, expands access to justice, and enhances institutional efficiency," he said, highlighting how digital tools can bridge gaps in the judicial system.
Kant pointed out that technology enables the judiciary to overcome the limitations of physical distance and bureaucratic hurdles.
"It allows the judiciary to transcend physical barriers and bureaucratic rigidities to deliver outcomes that are timely, transparent and principled," he said, adding that the effective use of technology can modernise the delivery of justice and make it more accessible to citizens across the country.
The CJI called for implementing a "unified judicial policy".
He said India's judicial system has long been shaped by its federal structure, and different high courts have their own practices and technological capacities.
"India's vast diversity has led to different high courts evolving their own practices, administrative priorities and technological capacities. This variation, though natural in a federal democracy, has resulted in uneven experiences for litigants across the country," he said.
Kant underscored that predictability is crucial for building trust in the judicial system.
"A core expectation citizens place upon the courts is predictability," he said, adding that citizens should not only expect fair treatment but also consistency in how cases are handled across the country.
He pointed to the potential of technology in improving predictability.
"Technology enables us to track systemic delays and make problems visible rather than concealed," he said.
By identifying areas where delays occur, such as in bail matters or cases involving certain types of disputes, courts can take targeted action to address these issues and improve efficiency, Kant said.
The CJI explained that data-driven tools could identify the reasons behind delays or bottlenecks, allowing for faster, more focused solutions.
"Technology enables prioritisation by flagging sensitive case categories, monitoring pendency in real time and ensuring transparent listing protocols," he said.
Justice Surya Kant also discussed the importance of prioritising urgent cases where delays could result in significant harm. He highlighted his recent administrative order that ensures urgent cases, such as bail petitions or habeas corpus cases, are listed within two days of curing defects.
"Where delay causes deep harm, the system must respond with urgency," he stated, explaining that technology can help courts identify and expedite such cases.
Kant also raised the issue of the clarity of judicial decisions.
He noted that many litigants, despite winning cases, often struggle to understand the terms of their judgment due to complex legal language.
"Although the orders had gone in their favour, they remained unsure of what relief they had actually secured because the language was too technical, vague or evasive to understand," he said.
He advocated for more uniformity in how judgments are written.
"A unified judicial approach must therefore extend to how we communicate outcomes," he said.
The CJI also discussed the role of AI and digital tools in improving case management. He pointed to the potential of AI-based research assistants and digital case management systems to streamline judicial processes.
"Emerging technological tools are now capable of performing once-unthinkable functions. They can highlight missing precedent references, cluster similar legal questions, and simplify factual narration," he said, explaining how these technologies can help judges make more consistent decisions.
He also highlighted tools like the National Judicial Data Grid and e-courts, which are already helping to standardise processes like case filings and tracking.
Kant reiterated that the integration of technology into the judicial process is not just about improving efficiency but about upholding the integrity of the system and strengthening public trust.
"The measure of innovation is not the complexity of the software we deploy, but the simplicity with which a citizen understands the outcome of their case and believes that justice has been served," he said.
