Lok Sabha Question No. 3951 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-24
Subject: Committee for Speedy Justice
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3951 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 24 TH MARCH, 2023

## COMMITTEE FOR SPEEDY JUSTICE

## 3951. SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

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

- (a) whether the Government has constituted any dedicated committee to expedite the process for providing justice and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  follow  up  action  taken  by  the  Government for the implementation of the recommendations of the said committee;
- (c) whether the Government  has made  any assessment of the additional expenditure incurred on such committee; and (d) if so, the details thereof?

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

- (a) to (d): No Sir,there is no dedicated committee constituted by the Government to expedite  the  process  for  providing  justice.  However,  the  government  is  implementing many schemes and projects and taking several initiatives for expediting the process for providing easy, affordable and speedy justice, the details of which are as follows:-
1. Government  has  set  up  theNational  Mission  for  Justice  Delivery  and  Legal Reforms  in  August,  2011  with  the  twin  objectives  of  increasing  access  by  reducing

delays and arrears in the system and enhancing accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards and capacities. The Mission has been pursuing a coordinated  approach  for  phased  liquidation  of  arrears  and  pendency  in  judicial administration,  which, inter-alia, involves  better  infrastructure  for  courts,  including computerization, an increase in strength of subordinate judiciary, policy and legislative measures in the areas prone to excessive litigation, re-engineering of court procedure for quick  disposal  of  cases  and  emphasis  on  human  resource  development.  Notable initiatives under the National Mission are as follows:-

- i. Under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  Judicial  Infrastructure,  funds  are being released to States/UTs for construction of court halls, residential quarters for judicial officers, lawyers' halls, toilet complexes and digital computer rooms that would ease the life of lawyers and litigants, thereby aiding justice delivery. As  on  date,  Rs.  9755.51  crores  have  been  released  since  the  inception  of  the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for  the  Judiciary  in  1993-94.  The  number  of  court  halls  has  increased  from 15,818 as on 30.06.2014 to 21,271 as on 28.02.2023, and number of residential units has increased from 10,211 as on 30.06.2014 to 18,734 as on 28.02.2023, under this scheme.
- ii. Government has been regularly filling up the vacancies in higher judiciary. From 01.05.2014 to 07.03.2023, 54 Judges were appointed in Supreme Court. 887 new Judges were appointed and 646 Additional Judges were made permanent in the High Courts. Sanctioned strength of Judges of High Courts has been increased from 906 in May, 2014 to 1114 currently. sanctioned and working strength of judicial officers in district and subordinate courts has increased as follow:

| As on      | Sanctioned Strength   | Working Strength   |
|------------|-----------------------|--------------------|
| 31.12.2013 | 19,518                | 15,115             |
| 21.03.2023 | 25,189                | 19,522             |

However,  filling  up  of  vacancies  in  subordinate  judiciary  falls  within  the domain of the State Governments and high courts concerned.

- iii. In pursuance of a Resolution passed in Chief Justices' Conference held in April, 2015, Arrears Committees have been set up in all 25 High Courts to clear cases pending for more than five years.  Arrears Committees have been set up under District courts as well.
- iv. With a view to reduce pendency and unclogging of the courts, the Government has recently amended various laws like the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Commercial Courts (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Specific  Relief  (Amendment)  Act,  2018,  the  Arbitration  and  Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2018.
- v. Alternate  Dispute  Resolution  methods  have  been  promoted  wholeheartedly. Accordingly, the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 was amended on 20 th August, 2018  making  Pre-institution  Mediation  and  Settlement  (PIMS)  mandatory  in case  of  commercial  disputes.  Amendment  to  the  Arbitration  and  Conciliation Act, 1996 has been made by the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act 2015 for expediting the speedy resolution of disputes by prescribing timelines.

2. Further under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, information and communication technology (ICT) has been leveraged for IT enablement of district and subordinate  courts.  The  number  of  computerised  district  &  subordinate  courts  has increased  to  18,735  so  far.  WAN  connectivity  has  been  provided  to  99.4%  of  court complexes.    Video  conferencing  facility  has  been  enabled  between  3,240  court complexes  and  1,272  corresponding  jails.  689  e-Sewa  Kendras  have  been  set  up  at court  complexes  to  facilitate  lawyers  and  litigants  needing  assistance  ranging  from case status, getting judgments/orders,  court/case-related information, and  efiling facilities. 21 virtual courts have been set up in 17 States/UTs. As on 31.01.2023, these courts have handled more than 2.53 crore cases and realized more than Rs. 359 crores in  fines.  E-courts  Phase  III  is  about  to  begin  which  intends  to  incorporate  latest technology such Artificial Intelligence(AI) and Block chain to make justice delivery more robust, easy and accessible to all the stakeholders.

3. Under  the  aegis  of  the  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission  ,the  government  has established Fast Track Courts for dealing with cases of heinous crimes; cases involving senior  citizens,  women,  children  etc.  As  on  31.01.2023,  843  Fast  Track  Courts  are functional for heinous crimes, crimes against women, and children etc. To fast track criminal cases involving elected MPs / MLAs, ten (10) Special Courts are functional in nine (9) States/UTs. Further, the central government has approved a scheme for setting up  1023  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs)  across  the  country  for  the  expeditious disposal  of  pending cases  of  Rape  under  IPC  and  crimes  under  POCSO  Act.  As  on date, 28 States/UTs have joined the scheme.
4. Lok  Adalat is an important Alternative Disputes  Resolution  Mechanism available  to  common  people.  It  is  a  forum  where  the  disputes/  cases  pending  in  the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.  Under the Legal  Services  Authorities  (LSA)  Act,  1987,  an  award  made  by  a  Lok  Adalat  is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal  lies  against  thereto  before  any  court. .   Lok  Adalat  is  not  a  permanent establishment.   National  Lok  Adalats  are  organized  simultaneously  in  all  Taluks, Districts and High Courts on a pre-fixed date. The details of the case disposed off in Lok Adalats during the last three years are as under:-
3. 5 . The Government launched the Tele-Law programme in 2017, which provided an effective  and  reliable  e-interface  platform  connecting  the  needy  and  disadvantaged sections seeking legal advice and consultation with panel lawyers via video conferencing, telephone and chat facilities available at the Common Service Centres (CSCs) situated in Gram Panchayat and through Tele-Law mobile App.
6. Efforts  have  been  made  to  institutionalize  pro  bono  culture  and  pro  bono lawyering  the  country.  A  technological  framework  has  been  put  in  place  where advocates volunteering to give their time and services for pro bono work can register as Pro Bono Advocates on Nyaya Bandhu (Android &iOS and Apps). Nyaya Bandhu Services also available on UMANG Platform. Pro Bono Panel of advocates have been initiated in 21 High Courts at the State level. Pro Bono Clubs have been started in 69 select Laws Schools to instill Pro Bono culture in budding lawyers.

| Years           | Pre-litigation Cases   | Pending Cases   | Grand Total   |
|-----------------|------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 2021            | 72,06,294              | 55,81,743       | 1,27,88,037   |
| 2022            | 3,10,15,215            | 1,09,10,795     | 4,19,26,010   |
| 2023 (till Feb) | 1,75,98,095            | 30,25,724       | 2,06,23,819   |
| Total           | 5,58,19,604            | 1,95,18,262     | 7,53,37,866   |

*Percentage Wise break-up of Tele - Law Data

| Till 28 th Feb, 2023   | Cases Registered    | %Wise Break Up      | Advice Enabled      | %Wise Break Up      |
|------------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Gender Wise            | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         |
| Female                 | 11,46,046           | 33.43               | 11,23,504           | 33.49               |
| Male                   | 22,82,642           | 66.57               | 22,31,041           | 66.51               |
| Caste Category Wise    | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise |
| General                | 7,31,346            | 21.33               | 7,12,646            | 21.24               |
| OBC                    | 10,08,050           | 29.40               | 9,83,336            | 29.31               |
| SC                     | 10,86,611           | 31.69               | 10,66,037           | 31.78               |
| ST                     | 6,02,681            | 17.58               | 5,92,526            | 17.66               |
| Total                  | 34,28,688           |                     | 33,54,545           |                     |

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