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The e-Courts Mission Mode Project is a flagship initiative aimed at leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the modernization and development of the Indian Judiciary. Spearheaded by the Department of Justice, Government of India, this transformative project is being implemented in close collaboration with the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. The decentralized approach ensures that the project is executed effectively through the respective High Courts, enabling tailored solutions that address the unique needs and challenges of each judicial region. By integrating cutting-edge technology into the judicial framework, the project seeks to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in the justice delivery system across the nation
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the e-Courts Project Phase III as a Central Sector Scheme (2023 onwards) with a financial outlay of Rs. 7210 crore. The Phase II of the e-Courts Project has concluded in 2023. Phase III of the e-Courts Project in India is rooted in the philosophy of access and inclusion. It aims to usher in a regime of maximum ease of justice by moving towards digital, online, and paperless courts through digitization of the entire court records including legacy records, and by bringing in universalization of e-filing/ e-Payments through saturation of all court complexes with e-Sewa Kendras.
Achievements of E-Courts
E-Courts Phase I: 2011-15
• Outlay: Rs. 935 Cr. Expenditure: 639.41Cr.
• 14,249 District & Subordinate Courts computerized
• 13,683 Courts: LAN Installed
• 13,436 courts: Hardware provided
• 13,672 Courts: Software Enabled
• 14,309 JOs: Laptop provided
• Over 14,000 Judicial Officers were trained in the use of UBUNTU-Linux Operating System.
• More than 3900 court staff were trained in Case Information System (CIS) as System Administrators.
• 347 Jails and 493 Court complexes: VC (Video conferencing) Enabled
E-Courts Phase II: 2015- 2023
• Outlay: Rs. 1670 Cr. Expenditure: Rs. 1668.43 Cr.
• 18,735 District & Subordinate Courts computerized
• 99.5% of total Court complexes connected through WAN
• 1272 Jails and 3240 Court Complexes: VC enabled
• National Judicial Data Grid: Data Repository of orders, judgments, and case details of District & Subordinate Courts created as an online platform under the e-Courts Project.
E-Courts Phase III (2023-2027)
The Union Cabinet approved e-Courts Phase III (2023-2027) in September 2023, with an allocated outlay of Rs. 7,210 crore, which is over four times the funding for Phase II.
Advanced digital measures, including:
• Establishment of Digital and Paperless Courts to digitize court proceedings.
• Comprehensive digitization of court records, including legacy records and pending cases.
• Expansion of video conferencing facilities to courts, jails, and hospitals.
• Broadening the scope of online courts beyond adjudication of traffic violations.
• Saturation of court complexes with e-Sewa Kendras for citizen convenience.
Initiatives Taken Under E-Courts Project
• Under the Wide Area Network (WAN) Project, 99.5% of the court complexes across India have been connected with bandwidth speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps.
• The WAN Project, which is part of the e-Courts initiative, connects all District and Subordinate Court complexes across the country.
• Currently, 209 new court complexes are being connected by BSNL using Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) Technology.
• The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) is an online database containing orders, judgments, and cases from all computerized district and subordinate courts in the country, offering litigants access to case information and over 27.64 crore orders and judgments.
• A customized Case Information Software (CIS) based on Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) has been developed.
• As part of the e-Courts initiative, seven platforms have been set up to provide real-time updates on case status, cause lists, judgments, and more.
• India has emerged as a leader in conducting court hearings via video conferencing.
• Video conferencing facilities have been enabled between 3240 court complexes and 1272 jails across the country.
• Live streaming of court proceedings has been introduced in several High Courts.
• Virtual Courts have been launched in 21 States/UTs to handle traffic challan cases.
• The e-Filing system (Version 3.0) has been upgraded to allow lawyers to access and upload documents for cases from any location, 24/7.
Conclusion
The e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project has been a transformative initiative aimed at revolutionizing the Indian judicial system through technology. From the computerization of courts to the implementation of advanced digital solutions, the project has significantly enhanced the efficiency, accessibility, and transparency of justice delivery. With the successful implementation of Phases I and II and the ambitious objectives set for Phase III, the project reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring justice for all.