E-COURTS MISSION MODE PROJECT

The Government is implementing a project for computerization of District & Subordinate Courts in the country and for upgradation of ICT infrastructure of the Supreme Court and the High Courts.

Under the project, 12000 courts in 2100 court complexes are expected to be computerized by 31.3.2012 and 2249 courts in 969 court complexes are expected to be computerized by 31.3.2014. The total estimated cost of phase I of the project is ` 935.00 crore. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) is the implementing agency of the project.

An E-Committee of the Supreme Court was constituted which is chaired by the Chief Justice of India to give overall policy directions to fulfilment of e-court programme. An Empowered Committee has been constituted in the Department of Justice to provide strategic direction and guidance to the e-courts Mission Mode Project. This Committee also has representative from the E-Committee of the Supreme Court.

Implementation of the project would result into online access to legal and judicial resources and trends, access to cause lists to litigants, advocates, prosecution and law enforcement agencies, availability of digitally signed court orders, issue of certified copies of orders & judgements within 24 hours, status of pending as well as disposed of cases, services through Information kiosks at court complexes, e-filing of cases, Video Conferencing facilities at Courts.

Till March 2011, an amount of ` 397.85 crore has been given to NIC for implementation of the project. The Budget provisions for the current year is ` 297 crore.

The State Governments will be required to provide the following for sustainability of the project:

All recurring expenses relating to the project

Procurement / maintenance of hardware / LAN items after present warranty ends

Deployment of technical manpower for ICT related troubleshooting at the courts after 30 months

Provision of internet connectivity for judges’ residence / court complexes beyond 2 years from the time of installation

Wiring for the DG sets for ICT infrastructure at a court complex other than in server rooms / judicial service center

Fuel & other recurring expenditure relating to DG sets