Ranchi:
In a significant move to digitize law enforcement, the Jharkhand Police will soon issue e-summons to suspects and accused persons via mobile phones and email. The department has finalized the plan and is currently preparing for a statewide rollout to modernize its investigative procedures.
Digital Shift in Policing
The Jharkhand Police is shifting from physical delivery to electronic modes of serving notices, adopting a model similar to central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This transition eliminates heavy paperwork and reduces the burden on police manpower. Electronic delivery also resolves long-standing complaints regarding delays in the physical receipt of summons, ensuring that notices reach recipients instantly. The entire process will operate through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) platform to maintain a transparent digital trail.
Implementation and Governance
DIG JAP Karthik S., the CCTNS nodal officer at police headquarters, has directed Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, and Dhanbad, along with SPs of all other districts, the CID, and the ATS, to cooperate in the rollout. Every district must nominate a nodal officer by March 8 to oversee the application’s implementation. The National Informatics Centre (NIC), New Delhi, developed the e-summons application, which handles the entire lifecycle of a notice—from the moment a court issues the summons to its final electronic service.
Alignment with New Criminal Laws
DIG Karthik S. emphasized that the new system aligns with the provisions of India’s updated legal framework, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA). Once district nodal officers receive their user IDs, they will generate login credentials for station-level officers. This hierarchy ensures that the technology-driven system reaches the grassroots level of every police station in Jharkhand, making legal procedures more efficient and accountable.
