Lok Sabha Question No. 3429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Scheme for Development of Judicial Infrastructure
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Khagen Murmu

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No 3429

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## Scheme for Development of Judicial Infrastructure

## 3429. SHRI  KHAGEN MURMU:

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

- (a) whether the Government agrees with the view that a sound judiciary is essential for enforcing laws and creating trust in the economy, and also that the issues  of  pendency,  delays  and  backlogs  can  be  tackled  to  a  large  extent  by strengthening the physical, digital, and human infrastructure of the courts;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the initiatives have been taken/being taken by the Government to  review  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  Development  of  Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary and remove roadblocks delaying the upgrade of judicial infrastructure;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): Disposal of cases pending in various courts is within the domain of judiciary. Timely disposal of cases in courts depends on several factors which, inter-alia,  include  availability  of  adequate  number  of  judges  and  judicial officers, supporting court staff and physical infrastructure, complexity of facts involved, nature of evidence, co-operation of stake holders viz. bar, investigation  agencies,  witnesses  and  litigants  and  proper  application  of  rules and procedures. There are several factors which may lead to delay in disposal of cases.  These, inter-alia, include vacancies of judges, frequent adjournments and lack  of  adequate  arrangement  to  monitor,  track  and  bunch  cases  for  hearing. The  Central  Government  is  fully  committed  to  speedy  disposal  of  cases  in accordance  with  Article  21  of  the  Constitution  and  reducing  pendency.    The Government  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  provide  an  ecosystem  for  faster disposal of cases by the judiciary.   National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal  Reforms  was  set  up  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  co-ordinated  approach  for phased  liquidation  of  arrears  and  pendency  in  judicial  administration,  which, inter-alia, involves  better  infrastructure  for  courts  including  computerization, 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.

(c) to (e): The  primary  responsibility  of  development  of  Infrastructure facilities  for  judiciary  rests  with  the  State  Governments.    To  augment  the resources  of  the  State  Governments,  the  Union  Government  has  been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Development of

Infrastructure  Facilities  in  district  and  subordinate  courts  by  providing financial  assistance  to  State  Governments  /  UTs  in  the  prescribed  fund sharing pattern. The Scheme is being implemented since 1993-94. Till date the Central Government has sanctioned Rs. 8709.77 crore under the Scheme to States/UTs. The scheme has been extended from time to time.  Under this scheme  funds  are  released  by  the  Central  Government  for  construction  of court  buildings  and  residential  accommodations  for  Judicial  Officers  of District and Subordinate Judiciary. The Government has extended the above scheme for a further period of five years from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2026, with a  total  budgetary  outlay  of  Rs.9000  crores,  including  Central  share  of Rs.5307 crores. The scheme components have been expanded, to also cover the construction of toilets, digital computer rooms and Lawyers' Hall in the district  and  subordinate  courts  and  Rs.  47.00  crore  have been  approved  for the construction of Toilet complexes in the District and Subordinate Courts.

As per information made available by the High Courts, 20,595 Court Halls and 18,078 Residential Units are available in the District and Subordinate Courts as on 01.12.2021. Moreover, 2846 Court Halls and 1,775 Residential Units are under construction.

To  improve  the  digital  infrastructure  of  the  courts,  the  Government  is also  implementing  the  eCourts  Mission  Mode  Project.  Government  has  been implementing  the  e-Courts  Mission  Mode  Project  throughout  the  country  for Information and Communication  Technology enablement of district and subordinate courts.  Number of computerized District & Subordinate courts has increased to 18,735 as on 01.07.2021. WAN connectivity has been provided to 98.7% of court complexes. New and user-friendly version of Case Information Software has been developed and deployed at all the computerized District and Subordinate  Courts.    All  stakeholders  including  Judicial  Officers  can  access information relating to judicial proceedings/decisions of computerized District &  Subordinate  Courts  and  High  Courts  on  the  National  Judicial  Data  Grid (NJDG). As on 01.11.2021, litigants can access case status of over 19.56 crore cases  and  15.72  crore  order/judgements  pertaining  to  these  courts.  eCourts services such as details of case registration, cause list, case status, daily orders & final judgments are available to litigants and advocates through eCourts web portal,  Judicial  Service  Centres  (JSC)  in  all  computerized  courts,  eCourts Mobile  App,  email  service,  SMS  push  &  pull  services.  Video  Conferencing facility has been enabled between 3240 court complexes and 1272 corresponding jails. With a view to handle the COVID- 19 challenges better and to make the transition to virtual hearings smoother, funds have been provided for setting up 235 e-Sewa Kendras at court complexes to facilitate lawyers and litigants needing assistance ranging from case status, getting judgements/orders, court/case  related  information  and  efiling  facilities.  Rs.  5.01  crores  has  been allocated  for  providing  equipment  in  Video  Conferencing  cabins  in  various court  complexes  to  facilitate  virtual  hearings.  Rs.  12.12  crores  has  been allocated for 1732 Help desk counters for efiling in various court complexes.

Fifteen Virtual Courts have been set up in 11 States/UTs viz. Delhi (2), Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala (2), Maharashtra (2), Assam, Chhattisgarh,  Jammu  &  Kashmir  (2),  Uttar  Pradesh  and  Odisha  to  try  traffic offences. As on 01.11.2021, these courts have handled more than 99 lakh cases and realised more than Rs.193.15 crore in fines. Video  conferencing  emerged  as  the  mainstay  of  the  Courts  during  the Covid lockdown period as physical hearings and normal court proceedings in the congregational mode were not possible. Since Covid lockdown started, the District courts heard 1,01,77,289 cases while the High Court heard 55,24,021 cases  (totalling  to  1.57  crore)  till  31.10.2021  using  video  conferencing  only. The  Supreme  Court  had  1,50,692  hearings  since  the  lockdown  period  upto

29.10.2021.

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