Lok Sabha Question No. 1741 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-16
Subject: National Judicial Data Grid
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Ganesh Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. †1741 ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 16 th  DECEMBER, 2022

## National Judicial Data Grid

## †1741. SHRI GANESH SINGH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Supreme  Court  data  for  trial  stage  of  National Judicial  Data  Grid  (NJDG)  is  ready  to  be  made  available  in public domain;
- (b) if so, the estimated time by which the data is likely to be made available on the portal;
- (c) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure smooth process of e-filing of cases throughout the country; and
- (d) whether  the  NJDG  trial  will  help  reduce  the  excessive  case load and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

( a)  &  (b):  National  Judicial  Data  Grid  (NJDG)  is  a  database  of  orders, judgments  and  case  details  of  connected  District  &  Subordinate  Courts  and High Courts created as an online platform on which data is updated on a near real-time basis. Now NJDG is under trial and testing stage for making Supreme Court data available in public domain.

(c):  The  decision  for  e-filing  of  cases  and  documents  in  the  Courts  is  an administrative matter which falls strictly within the purview and domain of the Judiciary  and  Central  Government  has  no  direct  role  to  play  in  the  matter. However, Department of Justice has requested all Central & State Government Departments including the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to use eFiling in all commercial disputes coming up in the commercial courts. Further, instructions have been issued by eCommittee of the Supreme Court to all High Courts to ensure that all Government litigation should be e-filed. Department of Justice has requested Department of Legal Affairs (DoLA) to advise all Central Ministries/ Departments to use eFiling in all Government litigation. Accordingly,  a  communication  has  been  sent  by  the  Department  of  Legal Affairs to all Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India, as well as to all Law Officers for e-filing in respect of litigation on behalf of Union of India by  the  Ministries/  Departments  concerned,  including  Autonomous  Bodies/ Subordinate  Offices/  Attached  Offices  and  PSUs  under  their  administrative control. To ensure a smooth process of e-filing of cases model rules for e-filing of  cases  have  been  prepared  by  Supreme  Court  of  India  and  shared  with  the High Courts. Till now, 19 High Courts have implemented the rules of e-filing. Funds  have  been  released  to  establish  the  e-Sewa  Kendras  to  facilitate  the lawyer or litigant who needs any kind of assistance ranging from information to facilitation and e-filing. As on 31.10.2022, 619 eSewa Kendras have been made functional under 25 High Courts.

(d): NJDG works as a monitoring tool to identify, manage & reduce pendency of cases. It helps to provide timely inputs for making policy decisions to reduce delays  in  disposing  of  cases  and  helps  in  reducing  case  pendency.  It  also facilitates  better  monitoring  of  court  performance  and  systemic  bottlenecks, and, thus, serves as an efficient resource management tool. NJDG can be used for effective court management and case management for reducing the caseload.

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