Judges are expected to have basic computer knowledge - Tech Savvy Supreme Court
IN an interesting judgement, the Supreme Court last week dismissed an appeal filed by a failed candidate for selection as a judge because he did not have Basic knowledge of Computer Operation .
The Supreme Court observed, “It is also to be considered that the Indian judiciary is taking steps to apply e-governance for efficient management of courts. In the near future, all the courts in the country will be computerized. In that respect, the new judges who are being appointed are expected to have basic knowledge of the computer operation. It will be unfair to overlook basic knowledge of computer operation to be an essential condition for being a judge in view of the recent development being adopted. Therefore, we are of the considered opinion that requirement of having basic knowledge of computer operation should not be diluted.”
You can't really stop technology and if somebody claims ignorance of technology as a right, he is sure to be dumped into the dustbin. Now that the Supreme Court has agreed that a basic knowledge is a MUST for judges, it should be made a mandatory qualification for all superior posts, including judges of Supreme Court, High Courts, Tribunals, Boards like CBEC, CBDT, Railway Board etc.
Some 26 years ago, in 1984, the Supreme Court struck down the first electronic election in India holding that ‘ ballot' does not include voting by machines. What was required was a change in Law and not machine and that is what exactly happened.
For full text of the judgement please see 2010-TIOL-80-SC-MISC.