Digital Transformation of India's Criminal
Justice System
Prelims:
Polity & Governance, Internal Security, Science & Technology
Mains:
GS Paper II-Governance, GS Paper III-Internal Security
Current relevance:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced that from 1
January 2027, all investigation and trial procedures under the new
criminal laws will be recorded digitally through the Interoperable
Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS):
1.
It is expected to achieve nationwide implementation by
2027, enabling a fully digital investigation and trial process.
2.
ICJS integrates police, courts, prisons, forensic
laboratories, and prosecution on a single digital platform to facilitate
seamless information sharing.
3.
Digital Storage: Criminal justice data will be
securely stored on MeghRaj, the Government of India's cloud
platform.
4.
Legal Framework: The digital framework supports the
implementation of:
i.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
ii.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023
iii.
Bharatiya Sakshya Sanhita (BSS), 2023
5.
Implementation Status: According to the
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), only 46% of FIRs have been digitally
transmitted to courts, while Haryana, Goa, Assam, Punjab, and Chandigarh
have fully implemented all prescribed digital parameters under the criminal
justice system.
6.
The BNSS strengthens the concept of Zero FIR, with
the CCTNS enabling FIR registration in 23 languages and the
Bhashini application facilitating multilingual translation for
seamless transfer of cases across jurisdictions.
7.
The national implementation score increased from 46.47%
in January 2025 to 70.06% in June 2026, alongside
significant improvement in compliance with statutory timelines for filing
charge sheets.
8.
The digital criminal justice system facilitates the
generation of digital evidence (Sakshya) IDs and the electronic
service of summons, enhancing efficiency and transparency in criminal
proceedings.
Source: THE
HINDU -https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/criminal-justice-systems-digital-push-aims-for-a-full-roll-out-by-next-year/article71166359.ece