The Indian judiciary comprises of nearly 15,000 courts situated in approximately 2,500 court complexes throughout the country. The total no. of pending cases in these Courts as on 01.01.2005 was 2, 94, and 97,251.
In the Indian Judiciary, effort for computerization of some of its processes has been going on since 1990. From 2001-03, 700 city courts in four metros were computerised and during 2003-04, computerisation of another 900 courts were undertaken.
Need was felt to make the programme of ICT enablement of the Indian Judiciary mission-critical. Under NeGP as a MMP, it is proposed to implement ICT in Indian judiciary in three phases over a period of five years. The project scope is to develop, deliver, install and implement automated decision making and decision support system in 700 courts of Delhi, Bombay, Kolkata & Chennai; 900 courts in the 29 capital city courts of states and UTs and 13000 district and subordinate courts.
The objectives of the project are:
To help judicial administrations of the courts in streamlining their day-to-day activities
· To assist judicial administration in reducing the pendency of cases
· To provide transparency of information to the litigants
· To provide access to legal and judicial databases to the judges.
The project has been devised following the report submitted by the E-committee on national policy & technology in the Indian judiciary. The project will be implemented in 3 phases spread over a period of 5 years at a cost of Rs.854 crores. In the first phase, computer rooms & judicial service centres would set up in all 2500 court complexes. About 15,000 judicial officers would be provided with laptops. Digital inter-connectivity would be established between all courts from the taluk level to the apex court. The project also aims at creation of e-filing facility in the supreme court & high courts. The first phase also envisages development of comprehensive & integrated customised software application for the entire judicial system with regional languages support. in the second phase, it would be possible to provide ICT coverage of judicial process from filing to execution level & also of all administrative activities. In third phase, it would be creating of information gateways between courts & public agencies & departments. The project is expected to lead to complete demystification of the adjudicatory process thereby ensuring transparency, accountability & cost-effectiveness.
https://ecourts.nic.in/
