Lok Sabha Question No. 2723 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Progress of Virtual Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2723

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 4 th  August, 2023

## Progress of Virtual Courts

## 2723. SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL:

Will the MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  on  the  progress  made  in  the  establishment  of  24/7  virtual courts;
- (b) the  current  status  of  this  initiative,  including  any  pilot  projects  or timelines for implementation;
- (c) the criteria that are likely to be used to evaluate the proposals submitted by judicial academies, law universities, IIMs and IITs for the research study on 24/7 virtual courts;
- (d) whether  the  Government  ensures  compliance  for  the  introduction  of virtual courts, particularly with the involvement of judges and maintains the principles of fairness, transparency, and adherence to due process in virtual courts and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether there are any specific guidelines or protocols that are proposed to  be  put  in  place  to  address  these  concerns  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a)  to  (c)  :Virtual  Courts  is  a  concept,  aimed  at  eliminating  the  presence  of litigant  or  lawyer  in  the  court  and  for  adjudication  of  cases  on  a  virtual platform.  The  concept  has  been  evolved  in  order  to  efficiently  utilize  court resources  and  to  provide  litigants  with  an  effective  avenue  to  settle  petty

disputes. Virtual Court can be administered by a Judge over a virtual electronic platform whose jurisdiction may extend to the entire State and function 24X7. Currently,  the  virtual  courts  are  handling  cases  pertaining  to  only  traffic challan cases, which have not only reduced the costs of litigation but has also simplified the procedure for redressal of traffic challan cases. Over 3.26 crore cases (3,26,14,617) have been handled by 22 virtual courts and in more than 39 lakhs (39,16,405) cases, online fine of more than Rs. 419.89 crore have been realized  till  30.06.2023.  The  detail  breakup  of  cases  dealt  through  virtual courts  across  India  is  at  Annexure-  I.  As  on  30.06.2023,  there  are  22  such courts  in  18  States  /  UTs  viz.  Delhi  (2),  Haryana,  Gujarat,  Tamil  Nadu, Karnataka,  Kerala  (2),  Maharashtra  (2),  Assam,  Chhattisgarh,  Jammu  and Kashmir (2), Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, West Bengal and Rajasthan.

The Department under its Scheme for Action Research and Studies on Judicial Reforms  periodically  invites  research  proposals  from  eligible  institutions  on various  topics  in  the  field  of  justice  delivery  and  judicial  reforms.  Recently proposals have been invited on "Exploring the scope of expansion of Virtual Courts under the Indian Justice Delivery System". All proposals under Action Research  are  evaluated  as  per  the  stipulated  guidelines  and  are  subject  to approval of a Project Sanctioning Committee formulated for the said Scheme.

(d)  &  (e)  :The  establishment  of  Virtual  Courts  is  an  administrative  matter which  falls  strictly  within  the  purview  and  domain  of  the  judiciary  and  the respective State Governments, and the Central Government has no direct role to play in the matter.

*****

## Annexure I

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.2723  for  04/08/2023 regarding  the  detail  breakup  of  cases  dealt  through  Virtual  Courts  across  the  country  are  as under:

| StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023    | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   | StatisticsofVirtualCourts-30.06.2023   |
|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
| S.No                                   | Establishment_Name                      | Received                               | Proceeding Done                        | Contested                              | Paid Challans                          | Challan Amount                         |
| 1                                      | ASSAM TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT                | 72415                                  | 72413                                  | 357                                    | 19022                                  | 13159081                               |
| 2                                      | CHHATTISGARH TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT         | 101                                    | 87                                     | 0                                      | 37                                     | 81500                                  |
| 3                                      | GUJARAT TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT              | 126716                                 | 74647                                  | 82                                     | 2718                                   | 171300                                 |
| 4                                      | HARYANATRAFFIC DEPARTMENT               | 821765                                 | 681342                                 | 1080                                   | 16992                                  | 12638701                               |
| 5                                      | HIMACHAL PRADESH TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT     | 81631                                  | 57247                                  | 86                                     | 1954                                   | 4011753                                |
| 6                                      | JAMMU TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT                | 157590                                 | 136152                                 | 880                                    | 38613                                  | 21420590                               |
| 7                                      | KARNATAKATRAFFIC DEPARTMENT             | 47857                                  | 47824                                  | 119                                    | 40576                                  | 338437490                              |
| 8                                      | KASHMIR TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT              | 356434                                 | 356433                                 | 9300                                   | 75231                                  | 41025995                               |
| 9                                      | KERALA(POLICE DEPARTMENT)               | 635792                                 | 625069                                 | 1280                                   | 54717                                  | 28393893                               |
| 10                                     | KERALATRANSPORT DEPARTMENT              | 485190                                 | 476054                                 | 2971                                   | 79969                                  | 115151882                              |
| 11                                     | MADHYAPRADESHTRAFFIC DEPARTMENT         | 46581                                  | 36028                                  | 57                                     | 1853                                   | 1315300                                |
| 12                                     | MAHARASHTRATRANSPORT DEPARTMENT         | 40387                                  | 24349                                  | 20                                     | 1449                                   | 2348605                                |
| 13                                     | MEGHALAYATRAFFIC DEPARTMENT             | 437                                    | 314                                    | 0                                      | 33                                     | 20000                                  |
| 14                                     | NOTICE BRANCH DELHI TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT  | 14133187                               | 13712402                               | 77223                                  | 1344606                                | 954951505                              |
| 15                                     | Odisha Traffic CTC-BBSR COMMISSIONERATE | 333416                                 | 307908                                 | 627                                    | 20615                                  | 19894001                               |
| 16                                     | PUNE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT                 | 6080                                   | 6056                                   | 18                                     | 591                                    | 114250                                 |
| 17                                     | RAJASTHAN TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT            | 26497                                  | 23650                                  | 892                                    | 9708                                   | 6276170                                |
| 18                                     | TAMIL NADUTRAFFIC DEPARTMENT            | 162337                                 | 143042                                 | 1333                                   | 78188                                  | 718829890                              |
| 19                                     | TRIPURA TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT              | 354                                    | 353                                    | 1                                      | 4                                      | 2900                                   |
| 20                                     | UTTAR PRADESH TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT        | 10238520                               | 7569945                                | 28769                                  | 501614                                 | 298422756                              |

| 21    | VIRTUAL COURT DELHI(TRAFFIC)   |   4773216 |   4734431 |   105500 |   1624555 |   1618662492 |
|-------|--------------------------------|-----------|-----------|----------|-----------|--------------|
| 22    | WEST BENGAL TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT |     67940 |     64293 |       76 |      3360 |      2039452 |
| Total | Total                          |  32614443 |  29150039 |   230671 |   3916405 |   4198908506 |