A software, ‘Fast and Secure Transmission of Electronic Records’ (FASTER), to transmit Court Orders quickly and securely online mode software to transmit Court Orders swiftly, securely through electronic mode. The Supreme Court and High Court Judges and Chief Justices joined the online launch event.
While the event took place, the CJI exclaimed that FASTER came up after reading a news report of prisoners who were not released. The Supreme Court granted bail to them three days ago. A suo motu case and directions were issued by the CJI-led bench to develop the e-system.
“The purpose of FASTER is, orders passed by the Supreme Court or any Courts have to be transmitted safety without interference by their party”, the CJI said.
For the execution of the software, 73 nodal officers had been selected at the High Court. A total of 1,887 email IDs of the officers were made. The software will help to communicate bail orders and will take the digital signatures of Supreme Court officers to be authentic.
The Chief Justice of India thanked Supreme Court judges Justice Chandrachud, Justice Khanwilkar, and Justice Hemant Gupta, as well as the Supreme Court Secretary-General, Registrars of the Computer Committee, Chief Justices of High Courts, and the Chairman of the E-Committee, for their contributions to the project’s success.
Through a secured electronic communication channel, the FASTER (Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records) system proposes transmitting e-authenticated copies of interim orders, stay orders, bail orders, and records of proceedings to duty-holders for compliance and due execution.
The Supreme Court approved the use of an electronic system called FASTER (Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records) for transmission of e-authenticated copies of orders in September last year, expressing concern about the plight of jail inmates who have not been released despite bail orders being issued due to delays in communication of such orders.
A Bench led by CJI NV Ramana has directed the Director-General, National Informatics Centre, Secretary (Home), and the Director-General or Inspector General of Prisons of all States and Union Territories to ensure the smooth and successful implementation of the FASTER system, as well as to coordinate with the Supreme Court’s Registry in this regard.
The Bench had ordered all duty-holders to immediately change their rules, procedures, practices, and directives to recognize the e-authenticated copy of the Supreme Court’s order conveyed to them through the FASTER system and follow the directions contained therein.
The Supreme Court further ordered the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories to ensure that internet facilities with acceptable speed are available in every jail and to take immediate steps to provide internet access where it is not available. Until then, the communication will be routed through the FASTER system’s Nodal Officers in state governments.
After reviewing the proposal given by the Supreme Court’s Secretary-General, which suggested modalities for implementation as well as pre-requisites and timetables for working out the pre-requisites for system implementation, the Court directed that the FASTER system be implemented. Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter on July 16, a bench led by the Chief Justice had stated on the previous occasion that the Supreme Court was considering developing a system to electronically send bail decisions to jails so that the release of inmates on bail would not be delayed.
The suo motu case was started by a news report alleging that detainees in the Agra Central Jail had not been released despite a three-day-old order giving them bail.
The Supreme Court’s Secretary-General was also given two weeks to present a proposal outlining the modalities for implementing the FASTER system.
On behalf of the Amicus Curiae, Mr. Dushyant Dave, Senior Counsel, Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, the National Informatics Centre, or other Government Authorities, the Secretary-General was asked to coordinate/consult with them the CJI’s initiative within two weeks.
The suo motu case was sparked by a news report claiming that inmates in Agra Central Jail had not been released even after the ruling granting them bail had been in place for three days. The Bench had also directed the Secretary-General of the Supreme Court to submit a proposal suggesting the modalities to implement the FASTER system within two weeks.
The Secretary-General was directed to coordinate/consult with the Amicus Curiae, Mr. Dushyant Dave, Senior counsel, Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India, the National Informatics Centre, or other Government Authorities, on this behalf. eon this initiative of the CJI within two weeks.
