Ex-SC judge Hemant Gupta appointed chief of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre
New Delhi, Dec 21: Former Supreme Court judge Hemant Gupta has been appointed as the chairperson of New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC), a personnel ministry order said.
The NDIAC was established for the purpose of creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Justice Hemant Gupta (retired) as NDIAC chairperson and that of Ganesh Chandru and Anant Vijay Palli as its part-time members, the order said.
Justice Gupta, who demitted office on October 14, was part of a bench which had delivered a split verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the March 15 judgement of the Karnataka High Court refusing to lift the ban on wearing of hijab in educational institutions in the state.
Justice Gupta had dismissed the petitions against the high court verdict upholding the ban on hijab.
Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, another judge of the bench, had differed with Justice Gupta saying students have the right to wear hijab.
Justice Gupta was elevated as an apex court judge on November 2, 2018.
Son of former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Hayana High Court Jitender Vir Gupta, he was born on October 17, 1957, and was enrolled as an advocate in July 1980. He also worked as additional advocate general of Punjab from 1997 to 1999.
He was appointed a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 2, 2002.
Justice Gupta was a member of the Computer Committee of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for more than 10 years and this period saw a complete computerisation of the high court including digitisation of the entire records of judicial files and developing a mechanism to scan the freshly filed case, introduction of the case management system, launching of an e-diary etc.
He took over as a judge of the Patna High Court on February 8, 2016 and was appointed as the acting Chief Justice of that high court on October 29, 2016.
Justice Gupta was appointed as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on March 18, 2017.
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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.
