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NEW DELHI: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said India’s legal framework has undergone a major transformation in the past two years, with the replacement of colonial-era criminal laws and the large-scale digitisation of court records aimed at improving access to justice and ease of living for citizens.
Speaking at a session titled “NXT in Law,” Meghwal said the government introduced the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to replace the Indian Penal Code, marking what he described as a “revolution” in India’s criminal justice system. The reforms also include replacing the Code of Criminal Procedure with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Indian Evidence Act with the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
Meghwal said, adding that the reforms are intended to deliver justice more effectively to citizens. Further highlighting the role of technology in judicial reforms, the minister said nearly 660 crore pages—close to seven billion pages—of court proceedings and documents across the country have been digitised. According to him, the move will significantly ease legal research and help future generations access past judgments and legal records.
He noted that earlier, court decisions and related research papers were often stored physically, sometimes deteriorating due to poor storage conditions. Digitisation, he said, ensures that lawyers and researchers can easily access judicial records and examine judgments and arguments presented in earlier cases.
The minister also said the government is digitising historical legal materials, including records related to traditional village-level dispute resolution systems. Referring to India’s earlier “Panch Parmeshwar” justice system, Meghwal said manuscripts and other historically significant documents with legal importance are being identified and digitised.
“This will prove to be a revolutionary step in the justice sector in the coming years,” he said.
Meghwal also highlighted the expansion of the e-Courts Project, which is currently in its third phase. The initiative allows litigants to access case details digitally, including the next date of hearing, through touch-screen machines at Seva Kendras by entering their case number. Earlier, litigants had to rely on lawyers or court staff to obtain such information, he said. The minister added that the project has introduced facilities such as e-filing and video conferencing, enabling lawyers to present arguments remotely if they are unable to physically attend court hearings.
Addressing the issue of dispute resolution, Meghwal said the government has been strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, including mediation, conciliation and arbitration, to reduce litigation and lower the burden of pending cases in courts.
He said reforms have also been introduced in the arbitration and mediation framework, with amendments to the Arbitration Act and the Mediation Act, and further changes proposed to make India a global arbitration hub. Noting that major arbitration centres currently operate in cities such as Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong and London, Meghwal said India aims to emerge as a strong arbitration destination as many cases involving Indian parties are presently resolved overseas.
The minister also spoke about the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for law and governance. Referring to the recent AI summit held in India, which was attended by global leaders and technology company founders, Meghwal said AI represents a key component of the fourth industrial revolution.
He explained that technological progress has historically evolved through phases—from steam engines in Industry 1.0 to electricity in Industry 2.0 and computers in Industry 3.0—while the current era, Industry 4.0, is driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D printing, robotics, the Internet of Things, machine learning and blockchain.
While acknowledging concerns about job losses, the minister said technological change historically created new opportunities and transformed the nature of employment rather than eliminating it. He also addressed debates within the legal fraternity over the use of AI in legal research, noting that while technology can assist lawyers and students, human judgment remains irreplaceable.
“Technology has its place and the human mind has its own place. No technology can replace the role of human beings,” he said.
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