Cabinet approves Rs 7000 cr for Phase III of e-Courts project

The e-Courts project that began in 2007 is a centrally sponsored scheme that is part of the National e-Governance Plan.

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The Phase II of the project that had a budget outlay of Rs 1,670 crore saw a major technological upgrade in courts during the Covid crisis.

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From intelligent scheduling to prioritising cases for hearing to using artificial intelligence in decision-making for judges, the Cabinet on Wednesday approved Phase III of the e-Courts project with a budget outlay of Rs 7,210 crore.

“…the e-Courts Phase-III aims to usher in a regime of maximum ease of justice by moving towards digital, online and paperless courts through digitisation of the entire court records, including legacy records,” a statement by the government said.

The e-Courts project that began in 2007 is a centrally sponsored scheme that is part of the National e-Governance Plan. The Supreme Court is responsible for the policy planning, strategic direction and implementation while the Department of Justice (DoJ) provides the funding.

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Transparency in listing cases

Phase III of the scheme will place emphasis on automating the registry’s role in listing of cases. The issue of lack of uniform rules and transparency in the listing has been in the spotlight in recent years.

The Phase II of the project that had a budget outlay of Rs 1,670 crore saw a major technological upgrade in courts during the Covid crisis. The National Judicial Data Grid, a repository of over 23-crore cases from district courts to SC level was part of the Phase II.

It is learnt that in Phase III, a smart scheduling system is in the works to recommend but not decide an appropriate schedule for listing based on availability of judges, lawyers, witnesses; nature of the case; and caseload of the judge. This system can be extended to enable lawyers and litigants to get a definitive estimate of the next hearing, officials said. They said this system will address the crucial problem of delays and deter lawyers from seeking adjournments. The DoJ has an outlay of Rs 50 crore for technological advancements and Rs 33 crore for re-engineering judicial processes in Phase III.

Apurva Vishwanath

Apurva Vishwanath is the National Legal Editor of The Indian Express in New Delhi. She graduated with a B.A., LL. B (Hons) from Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. She joined the newspaper in 2019 and in her current role, oversees the newspapers coverage of legal issues. She also closely tracks judicial appointments. Prior to her role at the Indian Express, she has worked with ThePrint and Mint. ... Read More

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