GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE)
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2521
TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE30TH NOVEMBER, 2016
Modernisation of Courts
2521. SHRIMATI SANTOSH AHLAWAT
KUNWAR BHARATENDRA
DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT
DR. BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD
SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL
DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
a) the present status of modernisation and digitisation of courts undertaken by the Government;
b) whether the Government has issued or proposes to issue unique identification number to judges of district and subordinate courts across the country;
c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
d) whether digital signatures have also been provided to most judges in the district and subordinate judiciary and if so, the details thereof; and
e) the other steps taken by the Government to bring more transparency in the judicial system of the country?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS
AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(Shri P.P. CHAUDHARY)
(a) The eCourts Mission Mode Project broadly covers computerisation of district and subordinate courts in the country. The national e-Courts portal (http://www.ecourts.gov.in) has been made operational. It provides online services such as case registration, cause lists, case status, daily orders and final judgements. As per the information available on the National Judicial Data Grid, there are 16,901 computerised courts in the country as on 24th Nov, 2016. Currently litigants can access case status information in respect of over 7 crore pending and decided cases and more than 3 crore orders/judgements pertaining to these computerised district and subordinate courts.
(b) and (c) Yes, Sir. Under the eCourts Mission Mode Project, unique identification codes have been allotted to Judicial Officers of the country. This is assisting the High Courts in maintaining an accurate record of all judicial officers.
(d) Yes, Sir. The Government has issued Digital Signatures to Judicial Officers in Phase-I of the eCourts Mission Mode Project. This enables them to issue certified e-documents to lawyers and litigants.
(e)The Government has been using technology extensively in making the justice delivery system across the country more transparent, accessible and affordable. Availability of case data online imparts transparency to the functioning of courts and facilitates easy access of such data to lawyers and litigants. Thus, ICT enablement of courts increases efficiency of justice delivery system through organised and easy access to case information, and transparency is the eventual outcome.
