Kalpetta Becomes India’s First Fully Paperless District Court | 06 Feb 2026

Why in News? 

The Kalpetta judicial district in Wayanad, Kerala has become India’s first fully paperless district court. 

Key Points 

• Historic Achievement: Kalpetta has become the first district court in India to function completely without paper, transitioning to a fully digital judicial system. 
• Inauguration: The paperless court system was virtually inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. 
• Functioning: All stages of court proceedings — including pre‑trial processes, recording of evidence, interlocutory orders, and final adjudications — are now conducted electronically without the use of physical files.  
  • The digital platform, known as the District Court Case Management System (DCMS), was developed in‑house by the Kerala High Court’s IT department to ensure secure and efficient digital operations. 
• Technology: The system integrates AI‑based judicial assistance tools that help generate structured case summaries, assist with annotation, query case details, and support judges with faster access to digital records. 
• Benefits: Going paperless is expected to reduce litigation costs, eliminate delays in transferring files, enhance access to justice, and contribute to “green jurisprudence” by lowering the environmental impact of judicial processes.  
• Model for Other Districts: The initiative is being seen as a model for other judicial districts across India, with the potential to transform traditional court operations into efficient digital systems nationwide.