The Government of India has recently launched the e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project as an initiative to digitize and improve access to justice in the country. This significant move aims at the computerization of District and subordinate courts across the nation, thus introducing modern information and communications technology (ICT) into the Indian Judiciary.
Understanding the e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project
Started under the National e-Governance Plan since 2007, the e-Courts project focuses on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development within the Indian Judiciary. The Supreme Court’s e-Committee, along with the Department of Justice, is implementing this project. The project underwent two phases: Phase I (2011-2015) and Phase II that kicked off in 2015, which saw the computerization of numerous District & Subordinate courts.
Initiatives Taken Under the Project
Several initiatives have been taken as part of this project. An extensive network has been established under the Wide Area Network (WAN) Project, providing connectivity to 99.4% of all Court Complexes across India.
The project also introduced open-source software in the judiciary, where the Case Information Software (CIS) has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) using Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS).
Additionally, National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), an online platform housing database of orders, judgments, and cases, was created. Also, several platforms have been developed for providing real-time information related to case status, judgements etc.
Virtual Courts and E-Filing
The project saw the establishment of 21 Virtual Courts in 17 States/UTs to handle traffic challan cases, handling more than 2.40 crore cases. Video-conferencing facilities were enabled between court complexes and jails. A new e-filing system was introduced to file legal papers electronically, as of 2022, a total of 19 High Courts adopted the model rules of e-Filing.
Phase III of the Project
The Phase III draft vision document for the e-Courts Project has been approved by the eCommittee, Supreme Court of India. The next phase aims at creating a system that is more affordable, accessible, cost-effective, reliable, and transparent. It proposes new features like online court and digital and paperless courts, expansion of the scope of virtual courts, and the use of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) for case analysis.
Challenges and Solutions
Despite its several benefits, the digitisation of the Indian Judiciary poses some concerns including technical challenges, cybersecurity risks, equity concerns, and difficulties in preserving records. However, these can be resolved through regular technical upgrades, strong cybersecurity measures, making digital court systems accessible for marginalized communities, and implementing a comprehensive record preservation plan.
While the road to digitization may have its set of challenges, the e-Courts Integrated Mission Mode Project holds immense potential to revolutionize the judiciary system, leading to improved access to justice using technology.
