Union Cabinet Approves Phase 3 of e-Courts Project

On 13^th September, 2023, the Union cabinet granted approval for the commencement of Phase 3 of the e-courts project, with a financial allocation of Rs 7,210 crore.

Key Points:

• Significant Financial Allocation: This funding underscores the government's commitment to enhancing the digital infrastructure of India's courts.
• Enhancing Access to Justice through Technology: The eCourts Mission Mode Project, now in its third phase, plays a pivotal role in improving access to justice through the effective use of technology.

About e-Courts:

• A Transformative Initiative: Launched in 2005, the e-courts project was conceived to equip the Indian judiciary with cutting-edge information and communication technology.
• It seeks to digitize every aspect of the litigation process, from initiation to the final judgment.
• Previous Phases: Phase 1 involved computerizing district and taluka courts, introducing Case Information Software (CIS) to offer essential case-related services to litigants and lawyers.
• Phase 2 innovations: It focused on the integration of systems across courts and introduced the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), a real-time repository of case pendency and disposal data.
• Phase 3 Innovations: The third phase introduces several innovative features, including digital and paperless courts, which transition court proceedings into a digital format.
• Phase 3 also leverages Artificial Intelligence and subsets like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for case pendency analysis and forecasting future litigation.
• The scheme aims to enhance access to justice by making the system more accessible, affordable, reliable, predictable, and transparent for all stakeholders.