Latest News: Govt Approves Phase 3 of e-Court Project worth Rs 7,000 Cr

15 Sep, 2023 Author: Ayushee Joshi

Latest Business News: The Cabinet authorised Phase 3 of the e-Courts project on Wednesday, with a budget of Rs 7,210 crore. During the Covid crisis, Phase 2 of the project, which had a budget of Rs 1,670 crore, saw a substantial technology improvement in courts. Phase 2 of the e-Court Project included the National Judicial Data Grid, a repository of nearly 23 crore cases from district courts to the Supreme Court.

What is an e-Court Project?

The e-Courts project, which began in 2007, is an initiative funded by the government that is part of the National e-Government Plan. The Supreme Court is in charge of policy development, strategic direction, and execution, while the Department of Justice (DoJ) is in charge of finance. In Phase 3, a smart scheduling system is being developed to propose (but not decide) an acceptable listing schedule based on the availability of judges, attorneys, witnesses, the nature of the case, and the judge’s caseload. According to authorities, this technology may be expanded to provide lawyers and clients with a firm estimate of the next hearing date. They claim that this mechanism will solve the critical issue of delays and discourage attorneys from seeking adjournments. In Phase III, the DoJ has allocated Rs 50 crore for technology developments and Rs 33 crore for reengineering judicial procedures.