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eCourts Project Implemented by Department of Justice in collaboration with eCommittee Supreme Court of India

eCourts Project Implemented by Department of Justice in collaboration with eCommittee Supreme Court of India

As part of the National eGovernance Plan, the eCourts Mission Mode Project is under implementation for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development of the Indian Judiciary based on the “National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology in the Indian Judiciary”. eCourts project is being implemented by Department of Justice in collaboration with eCommittee Supreme Court of India. Phase I of the eCourts project was implemented between 2011-2015. Phase II of the project extended from 2015-2023. In eCourts Mission Mode Project, during Phase I of the project video conferencing facility has been operationalised between 488 court complexes & 342 corresponding jails. In eCourts Phase II of the project, one video conference equipment each has been provided to all Court Complexes, including taluk level courts and funds have been sanctioned for additional VC equipment for 14,443 court rooms (High Court-Wise details attached at Annexure I). Funds for setting up 2506 VC Cabins have been made available (High Court-Wise details of VC Cabins attached at Annexure II). VC facilities are already enabled between 3240 court complexes and corresponding 1272 jails.

eCourts Phase III with a budgetary outlay of Rs.7210 crore was approved by Union Cabinet in September 2023 for a period of 4 years (2023 onwards) to upgrade digital infrastructure of the lower judiciary. Focus of Phase III is on building a robust governance framework and a judicial system that is more accessible, efficient, and equitable for every individual who seeks justice or is part of the delivery of justice in India. Under this phase, there is a provision for enhancing and upgrading the available infrastructure of Video Conferencing in 10200 establishments, including 500 Jails, 700 District Government Hospitals and 9000 Courts at an amount of Rs. 228.48 crore.

Annexure I

S.No

High Court

Number of

Functioning

Court Rooms

Number of VC equipment

were already provided

Number of additional

equipment to be provided

A

B

C

D

E

1

Allahabad

2438

150

2288

2

Andhra Pradesh

550

212

338

3

Bombay

2178

486

1692

4

Calcutta

840

88

752

5

Chhattisgarh

395

90

305

6

Delhi

479

6

473

7

Gauhati

442

194

248

8

Gujarat

1078

327

751

9

Himachal Pradesh

135

43

92

10

Jammu & Kashmir

218

86

132

11

Jharkhand

417

28

389

12

Karnataka

1029

200

829

13

Kerala

508

159

349

14

Madhya Pradesh

1274

203

1071

15

Madras

1169

267

902

16

Manipur

38

37

1

17

Meghalaya

36

64

0

18

Orissa

688

141

547

19

Patna

1046

76

970

20

Punjab & Haryana

972

118

854

21

Rajasthan

1239

238

1001

22

Sikkim

21

17

4

23

Telangana

440

129

311

24

Tripura

78

66

12

25

Uttarakhand

184

52

132

 

Total

17892

3477

14443

*Total estimated cost for VC equipment for 14443 court rooms is Rs.28.886 crore

Annexure II

S.No.

High Court

Number of VC Cabins

A

B

C

1

Allahabad

438

2

Andhra Pradesh

57

3

Bombay

271

4

Calcutta

128

5

Chhattisgarh

58

6

Delhi

103

7

Gauhati

77

8

Gujarat

94

9

Himachal Pradesh

18

10

Jammu & Kashmir

34

11

Jharkhand

78

12

Karnataka

128

13

Kerala

52

14

Madhya Pradesh

169

15

Madras

140

16

Manipur

12

17

Meghalaya

11

18

Orissa

84

19

Patna

171

20

Punjab & Haryana

135

21

Rajasthan

143

22

Sikkim

11

23

Telangana

52

24

Tripura

17

25

Uttarakhand

25

 

Total

2506

           *Total estimated cost for equipment for VC cabin is Rs.5.012 crore

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law & Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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