From cybercrime to commerce, lawyers must adapt to changing times: CJI Surya Kant

Referring to his visit after becoming the CJI last year, Justice Kant said homecoming is for a person who leaves home, “but I never left home”. “My duration in Hisar may not have been very long but the length of my relationship with you is unending. I can candidly confess that the amount of love, affection, care and mentorship I got from the Hisar Bar have been the biggest achievements in my life,” he said.

Recalling the beginning of his career, the chief justice said that his association with the Hisar Bar Association is not merely professional, but also familial and emotional.

“I came to the Hisar court on April 21, 1984. On July 29, I began my practice under Advocate Atma Ram Bansal. The District Judge told a senior member of the Bar (an advocate), ‘Why are you wasting him here?’ After that, I went to Chandigarh,” he said, adding that he always remained connected with the Hisar Bar.

Noting that the history of the Hisar Bar is extremely illustrious, the CJI said its members rendered invaluable service to the nation while serving in different parts of the country.

On a different note, he said the Indian judiciary has made maximum use of modern technology in the world, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, it set a global example by ensuring uninterrupted justice delivery through virtual courts and digital platforms. “Today, the graph and nature of crimes are changing rapidly. Cybercrime, digital arrest scams, online frauds, and technology-based offences are continuously on the rise. To effectively argue such cases, lawyers must develop an understanding of technology and the ability to analyse digital evidence,” he said.

The CJI stressed that advocates are the most crucial link in ensuring timely justice to the common citizens, and reducing delays in justice through the development of resources must remain a top priority. He also said that with the strengthening of India’s economy, foreign investment has increased, leading to a rise in commercial disputes and corporate litigation.

In view of the changing nature of disputes, advocates must also adapt their strategies and align themselves with modern judicial requirements.

“Tomorrow, you may be required to file a case to defend a case, to argue a case beyond the territorial and geographical jurisdiction of this country,” he told the lawyers, especially the young advocates.

“…Wherever I go, I impress upon my young friends in the Bar that they need to be tech-savvy, they need to understand what is happening at the global level.

“You need to prepare yourself and you need to rebuild yourself and acquire the bigger status of a global lawyer,” he said.

Earlier, the president of the Hisar Bar Association, Sandeep Boora, welcomed the CJI and the other guests.

Senior member of the Bar association, P K Sandhir, shared his experiences of working alongside Justice Kant in 1984 and described the occasion as historic and inspiring for the Hisar Bar.

“This moment would be recorded as a golden chapter in the history of the Hisar Bar Association, as Justice Kant, who began his legal career here, is today occupying the highest judicial office in the country,” Sandhir said.

Justice Kant’s wife Savita Vashisht and the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Sheel Nagu, were present on the occasion.

Justice Kant earlier addressed judicial officers and advocates at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Hansi Bar Association at the local judicial complex in Hansi. Addressing the gathering, the CJI said the use of modern technology in the judiciary is rapidly increasing. Court judgments are being translated into various languages across the country so that the common people can easily understand them, he said.

“Considering the increasing workload of the courts, necessary resources and facilities are being strengthened. The public has full faith in the judicial system, which has expanded both at the national and state levels,” the CJI said.

The graph and nature of crime have also evolved, with cybercrimes on the rise, he added, noting that cases of digital arrest are increasing, and to deal with them, advocates must adopt modern technology under all circumstances.

He also said that the Haryana government has fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people of the region by making Hansi a district.

Last month, Hansi became Haryana’s 23rd district.

The CJI also requested the judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well as the district and sessions judges to provide e-library facility in the Hansi judicial complex so that advocates can benefit from it.

On Saturday, Justice Kant will visit Petwar village besides attending other programmes in the region.