An Overview Of Computerization of District Courts In India

The Government has launched the eCourts Integrated Mission Mode Project for computerization of District and subordinate courts in the country with the objective of improving access to justice using technology. The Phase I of eCourts was concluded in 2015. Phase II of the project started in 2015 and 18,735 District & Subordinate courts have been computerised tillphase II. The detailed break-up of computerization of court complexes has been attached in Annexure-I.

A sum of Rs. 54.12 crore. have been released to Punjab and Haryana High Court under the e-Courts Project Phase-II for computerization of District and Subordinate Courts

The Department of Justice has been administering a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary since the year 1993-94. Though the primary responsibility of Infrastructure development for the subordinate judiciary rests with the State Governments, the Central Government through this CSS augments the resources of the State Governments by releasing financial assistance. The scheme presently covers construction of court buildings, residential quarters, digital computer rooms, toilets and lawyers’ halls in District and Subordinate Courts of all the States/UTs. The scheme allows new construction and upgradation or renovation of existing court buildings but does not allow routing maintenance or upkeep. A sum of Rs. 583.58 crore have been released to the State Government of Punjab under the scheme since 1993-94 which included a sum of Rs. 12.50 crore released during the current financial year.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Law & Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

****

Annexure-I

Computerization of District Courts. The details of court complex and computerization of courts are as under: