Technology crucial to check corruption: Sibal

Technology can be an effective tool for checking corruption as it can help eliminate discretion as a factor in the delivery of services, Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal today said.
"Discretion is connected to corruption. To deal with corruption, we need to eliminate discretion and the only way to do that is through technology," Sibal said while inaugurating a new facility at Delhi High Court for sending notices and summons by speedpost.
The new system, introduced as a postal department pilot project, was welcomed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, who said it will help expedite court proceedings.
Justice BD Ahmed, the head of the computer committee of the high court, said that if successful here, the system would be implemented at other courts.

He said that one of the "greatest" causes for delay in court proceedings was the serving of summons and notices, an issue that would be addressed by the new system.
The project would enable a litigant to send out summons, notices, etc. Directly from court in a special envelope which will also contain a proof of delivery (PoD) card at its back.

The card will be sent back via speedpost with or without the document that was initially mailed in order to confirm delivery.
Under the new system, the barcode on the PoD card would be scanned and e-mailed to high court to confirm delivery or non- receipt much before the same arrives in its physical form.

However, while it speeds up the court process, litigants would have to pay more for the service as compared to the earlier practice when notices/summons were sent through registered post.
Apart from the applicable speedpost charges, litigants will also have to purchase the special envelopes, which are available for Rs 20 and Rs 30.