Courts go paperless starting today
In line with Oman Vision 2040, starting today, the sultanate’s Public Prosecution will refer cases to courts electronically. The Public Prosecution will launch an electronic link programme with courts to refer cases towards this end.
Hon Judge Sayyid Khalifa bin Said al Busaidi, President of the Supreme Court, Chairman of the Council of Administrative Affairs for the Judiciary and Vice Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, launched the first phase of the connectivity project between the Council of Administrative Affairs for the Judiciary and the Public Prosecution on the latter’s premises on Sunday. The launch was carried out in the presence of H E Nasr bin Khamis al Sawai, Attorney General.
‘The project is in keeping with Oman Vision 200 and its objectives in the field of institutional digital transformation and in support of the advancement of judicial work,’ the Public Prosecution said in a statement.
‘The first phase includes paperless referral of cases from the Public Prosecution office to penal circuits in all courts in the country, starting March 1, 2021, and permanently stopping referring actual case files.’
The statement added that criminal cases will be heard online using computers and tablets in order to achieve quality control and offer accurate judicial processes and statistical readings.
‘Specialised committees will work on completing the integration process according to a timeline to allow parties in dispute to use the same technology and have their cases settled,’ the Public Prosecution stated.
Mobile courts soon
Meanwhile, the Council of Administrative Affairs for the Judiciary is working on launching mobile courts as part of Oman Vision 2040. “These will enable and assist in resolving and expediting labour cases and disputes, and bring litigation services closer to the industrial cities,” said Hon Judge Yousuf bin Hamoud al Flaiti, head of general administration for planning in the Council of Administrative Affairs for the Judiciary and head of implementation programme of Oman Vision 2040 in the council.