Digital arrests, cyber fraud new challenges for judiciary: CJI Surya Kant

Chief Justice India Justice Surya Kant on Saturday emphasised the need for the judiciary to keep pace with the growing complexities of civil and criminal laws, particularly in view of the rapidly expanding domain of cybercrime.

He said offences like “digital arrests” and other forms of cyber crimes committed day and night, causing harassment, most particularly to the senior citizens, are the latest and new challenges that the Indian judiciary is facing. “Sensitive training and continuous updating of judicial officers to deal with these kinds of modern-day challenges is extremely important,” he added.

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Addressing a function at the Patna High Court to mark laying of foundation stones for various projects, he asserted that continuous learning is essential to maintaining judicial relevance and credibility. “Judicial education in a changing legal landscape is an extremely vital component of our day-to-day activity. The judiciary today, let’s acknowledge, operates in an environment of unprecedented change. Courts are increasingly called upon to address disputes arising from technological innovation, economic complexity, social transformation and evolving rights jurisprudence. Public expectations from the justice delivery system are higher than ever. In this context, judicial education can’t remain static or episodic,” he said.

The CJI also called on the judges to remain “intellectually agile, socially aware and ethically grounded”. “Judicial academies thus serve as the institutional mechanism through which this ongoing education is structured and sustained. They provide judges with the tools to interpret the law in a manner that is principled, pragmatic and sensitive to the live realities of the litigants,” he added.

Later, speaking at the convocation ceremony of Chanakya National Law University, Patna, Chief Justice Suryakant said greatness is not determined by birth or position, but by one’s actions.

He told the students that their success is the result of continuous hard work, discipline, and patience. He advised young lawyers to recognise their self-worth and not be afraid of failures. He also mentioned Bihar’s rich intellectual tradition and emphasised the importance of maintaining balance in life.