Kohima: Justice Devashis Baruah moved to slash court delays on Friday. He introduced a series of digital tools in Kohima to speed up legal proceedings. The launch took place at the NGUYUSEM Multipurpose Hall during an eCourts program hosted with the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority.
New systems include the Court eMalkhana, a High Court e-Car pass portal, and an online Right to Information portal for the district judiciary. These additions aim to clean up administrative backlogs. The High Court plans to shift to full e-filing and paperless operations soon. This transition depends on a pending amendment to the Court Fees Act by the State Government.
Digitization allows judges to pull trial records instantly. This replaces the slow process of requesting physical files for appeals. “As of now, whenever we are issuing a particular notice in an appeal or proceeding pertaining to a district court, we call for the lower court's record,” Baruah said. He noted that access at the click of a button would stop unnecessary stalls in cases where a person's liberty remains at risk.
The eMalkhana system tracks seized property like drugs, firearms, or phones. Joint Registrar Boduve Peter Resu explained that each item gets a unique QR code. This code links to police case numbers and investigating officer data. It tracks the movement of evidence from storage to forensic labs. Meanwhile, the new e-Car pass system restricts vehicle access to the Kohima Bench for security reasons.
The RTI portal marks a state first. It lets citizens file information requests online from their homes. Registrar Ajongba Imchen opened the event, while advocate Kezhosano Kikhi chaired the proceedings. Technical expert Kishor Talukdar trained local clerks and lawyers on the new systems. The day also featured a panel on Article 371A of the Constitution of India with senior advocates CT Jamir and T B Jamir.
Updated at 26th September 2026 at 1:49pm
Justice Baruah pointed to a specific case involving a convicted senior citizen whose appeal sat idle because the physical paper book was not ready. He argued that the new digitization push would stop such delays, allowing courts to fast track urgent matters where a person stays behind bars longer than necessary. He also gave the Kohima Bench a nod for outperforming the High Court's principal seat in rolling out these tech upgrades.
The system for case property, eMalkhana, will eventually swap out the current General Register number for a CNR number to track evidence. Joint Registrar Boduve Peter Resu confirmed the team built these tools in-house. Advocate Toshi O. Longkumer moderated the panel discussion on Article 371A to close out the event.
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