Lok Sabha Question No. 2362 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Working Days in a Calender Year
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: ANUPAM HAZRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2362

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 26 th  December, 2018

## Working Days in a Calendar Year

## 2362. DR. ANUPAM HAZRA:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) the total working days of the Supreme Court and different High Courts in India in a calendar year;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to take any initiative for curtailment of existing vacation of the courts in India in the interest of speedy  delivery of the Justice and to provide relief to the litigants and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  take  any  step  for  speedy  trial  by introducing  radical  changes  in  the  court  formalities  and  digitalization  in every phase of court work; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE & CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b): Working days/hours in the Supreme Court and in the High Courts in the country  are  regulated  by  rules  framed  by  the  respective  Courts.  The  Government does  not  have  under  its  consideration  any  proposal  for  curtailment  of  existing vacation of the courts in India.

The  Supreme  Court  has  notified  the  Supreme  Court  Rules,  2013  on 27.05.2014  wherein,  inter-alia,  it  has been provided  that  the  period of summer vacation shall not exceed seven weeks. It is further provided that the length of the summer vacation and the number of holidays for the Court  and the offices of the Court shall be such as may be fixed by the Chief Justice and notified in the official Gazette so as not to exceed 103 days, excluding Sundays not falling in the vacation and during Court holidays. The Supreme Court Rules, 2013 came into force with effect from 19.08.2014.

(c) & (d): The  Government  is  committed  to  speedy  disposal of cases and reduction in pendency of cases to improve access to justice in line with the mandate of  the  Preamble  and  Article  39A  of  the  Constitution.  The  National  Mission  for Justice  Delivery  and  Legal  reforms  established  by  the  Government  has  adopted  a coordinated  approach  for  phased  liquidation  of  arrears  and  pendency  in  judicial administration through various strategic initiatives, including improving infrastructure [court halls and residential units] for Judicial officers of District and Subordinate Courts, leveraging information and Communication Technology (ICT) for better justice delivery, filling up of vacant positions of Judges in High Courts and Supreme Court, reduction in pendency through follow up by Arrears Committee at District,  High  Court  and  Supreme  Court  level,  emphasis  on  Alternate  Dispute Resolution (ADR) and initiatives to fast track special types of cases.

The  Government  is  implementing  the  e-Courts  Mission  Mode  Project throughout the country for Information and Communication Technology enablement of district and subordinate courts. The e-Courts Mission Mode Project Phase-I was implemented during 2011 - 2015.  At the end of Phase-I, out of the total target of computerisation of 14,249 district and subordinate courts, sites for all 14,249 courts (100%) were made ready for computerisation, out of which Local

Area  Network  (LAN)  was  installed  at  13,643  courts,  hardware  was  provided  in 13,436 courts and software was installed in 13,672 courts. Laptops were provided to 14,309 judicial officers and change management exercise was completed in all the  High Courts. Over 14,000 Judicial Officers were trained in the use of Linux Operating  System  and  more  than  4,000  court  staff  were  trained  as  System Administrators  in  Case  Information  System  (CIS).    Video  Conferencing  facility was operationalised between 488 court complexes and 342 corresponding jails.

The  e-Courts  Mission  Mode  Project  Phase-II  is  being  implemented  for  a period of four years (2015-19) or until the project is completed, whichever is later. Against  the  financial  outlay  of  Rs.1670  crores  in  the  second  phase,  Rs.931.31 crores have been released to High Courts and Rs.616.45 crore have been utilised by the High Courts.

Computerisation of 16,845 district and subordinate courts has been completed,  through  provisioning  of  computer  hardware,  Local  Area  Network (LAN), and installation of standard application software in district and subordinate courts.

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