FASTER Platform: CJI launches software to transmit court orders swiftly

What is the News?

The Chief Justice of India has launched the FASTER (Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records) platform.

What is a FASTER Platform?

Purpose: It is a digital platform to communicate interim orders, stay orders, and bail orders of the Supreme Court to authorities concerned through a secured electronic communication channel.

Developed by: Registry of the Supreme Court in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre(NIC).

Need: The idea of creating this platform came after CJI came across a report about the delay in the release of prisoners owing to the delay in physical orders reaching the prison authorities.

How will the FASTER Platform work?

FASTER Cell: It has been established in the Registry of the Supreme Court. The cell will transmit digitally signed records of proceedings or orders related to bail and release passed by the court to the nodal officers and duty holders concerned through email.

Nodal Officers: To reach all districts of India, 73 nodal officers have been nominated at various levels. All nodal officers have been connected through a specific Judicial Communication Network(JCN) by creating a secured pathway.

What is the significance of the FASTER Platform?

Firstly, it will ensure that undertrials are not made to wait for days on end behind bars to be released because the certified hard copies of their bail orders took time to reach the prison.

Secondly, it will help in preventing unnecessary arrests and custody of people even after the court had already granted them its protection.

Source: This post is based on the article “CJI launches software to transmit court orders swiftly” published in Indian Express on 31st March 2022.