Lok Sabha Question No. 3492 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: ODR and Virtual Courts in Maharashtra
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3492 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 21 st MARCH, 2025

## ODR and Virtual Courts in Maharashtra

## 3492. Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil:

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

- (a) whether the Government has plans to expand the scope of Virtual Courts beyond handling traffic challans, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b)the steps taken by the Government to encourage High Courts to establish Virtual Benches, particularly in Maharashtra; and
- (c) whether Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanisms are being implemented across States/UTs, particularly in Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) to (c): A novel concept of Virtual Courts has been introduced under the eCourts Project. It is one of the tools used for implementing Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). The aim is to reduce the footfalls in the courts, by eliminating physical presence of violators or advocates in courts' premises. As of now, Virtual courts are being used for traffic challan matters. Under the Phase III of the eCourts project, Rs. 413.08 Cr have been allocated for the expansion of Virtual Courts across India. As per information provided by the eCommittee, Supreme Court of India, modalities are being worked out to expand the usage of Virtual Courts to various other summary cases, specially those involving the imposition of fines for minor regulatory violations whose statistics indicate that a plea of guilt is entered on the first date.

The proliferation of virtual hearings conducted by the High Courts is detailed at Annexure I. To use the facility to operate more virtual benches is to be considered by the High Courts, including the High Court of Bombay.

Under the eCourts Project phase III, an amount of Rs. 23.72 crore has been allocated for Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). Under the Phase III, an ODR centre for each High Court and a dedicated software platform to handle court related ODR has been planned. A separate software team and a centralised cloudbased hardware is planned to be set aside for running these ODR platforms over a period of time, which will facilitate in tackling the pendency of cases. In view of the importance of enabling dispute resolution through the use of Information and Communication Technology, Section 30 of the Mediation Act, 2023, contains exclusive provisions for Online Mediation.

*****

Statement referred to in reply of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3492 for 21/03/2025 regarding ODR and Virtual Courts in Maharashtra. The High Courtwise details of Virtual hearings is as below:

| Number of cases dealt with (virtual hearings) on video conferencing in High Courts and District Courts as on 31st January 2025   | Number of cases dealt with (virtual hearings) on video conferencing in High Courts and District Courts as on 31st January 2025   | Number of cases dealt with (virtual hearings) on video conferencing in High Courts and District Courts as on 31st January 2025   | Number of cases dealt with (virtual hearings) on video conferencing in High Courts and District Courts as on 31st January 2025   | Number of cases dealt with (virtual hearings) on video conferencing in High Courts and District Courts as on 31st January 2025   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                           | High Court                                                                                                                       | High Courts                                                                                                                      | District Courts                                                                                                                  | Grand Total                                                                                                                      |
| 1                                                                                                                                | Allahabad                                                                                                                        | 247388                                                                                                                           | 6198497                                                                                                                          | 6445885                                                                                                                          |
| 2                                                                                                                                | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                   | 407844                                                                                                                           | 1439002                                                                                                                          | 1846846                                                                                                                          |
| 3                                                                                                                                | Bombay                                                                                                                           | 68675                                                                                                                            | 215481                                                                                                                           | 284156                                                                                                                           |
| 4                                                                                                                                | Calcutta                                                                                                                         | 163716                                                                                                                           | 96365                                                                                                                            | 260081                                                                                                                           |
| 5                                                                                                                                | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                     | 104224                                                                                                                           | 306193                                                                                                                           | 410417                                                                                                                           |
| 6                                                                                                                                | Delhi                                                                                                                            | 322024                                                                                                                           | 6173665                                                                                                                          | 6495689                                                                                                                          |
| 7                                                                                                                                | Gauhati - Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                      | 2856                                                                                                                             | 8345                                                                                                                             | 11201                                                                                                                            |
| 8                                                                                                                                | Gauhati - Assam                                                                                                                  | 267063                                                                                                                           | 489453                                                                                                                           | 756516                                                                                                                           |
| 9                                                                                                                                | Gauhati - Mizoram                                                                                                                | 4137                                                                                                                             | 13268                                                                                                                            | 17405                                                                                                                            |
| 10                                                                                                                               | Gauhati - Nagaland                                                                                                               | 1200                                                                                                                             | 930                                                                                                                              | 2130                                                                                                                             |
| 11                                                                                                                               | Gujarat                                                                                                                          | 412983                                                                                                                           | 219558                                                                                                                           | 632541                                                                                                                           |
| 12                                                                                                                               | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                 | 184912                                                                                                                           | 190964                                                                                                                           | 375876                                                                                                                           |
| 13                                                                                                                               | Jammu &Kashmir                                                                                                                   | 262032                                                                                                                           | 550523                                                                                                                           | 812555                                                                                                                           |
| 14                                                                                                                               | Jharkhand                                                                                                                        | 222671                                                                                                                           | 706551                                                                                                                           | 929222                                                                                                                           |
| 15                                                                                                                               | Karnataka                                                                                                                        | 1261954                                                                                                                          | 169202                                                                                                                           | 1431156                                                                                                                          |
| 16                                                                                                                               | Kerala                                                                                                                           | 166589                                                                                                                           | 639489                                                                                                                           | 806078                                                                                                                           |
| 17                                                                                                                               | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                   | 679551                                                                                                                           | 1049797                                                                                                                          | 1729348                                                                                                                          |
| 18                                                                                                                               | Madras                                                                                                                           | 1487878                                                                                                                          | 394231                                                                                                                           | 1882109                                                                                                                          |
| 19                                                                                                                               | Manipur                                                                                                                          | 52093                                                                                                                            | 16546                                                                                                                            | 68639                                                                                                                            |
| 20                                                                                                                               | Meghalaya                                                                                                                        | 6026                                                                                                                             | 60566                                                                                                                            | 66592                                                                                                                            |
| 21                                                                                                                               | Orissa                                                                                                                           | 342870                                                                                                                           | 321286                                                                                                                           | 664156                                                                                                                           |
| 22                                                                                                                               | Patna                                                                                                                            | 277696                                                                                                                           | 2887777                                                                                                                          | 3165473                                                                                                                          |
| 23                                                                                                                               | Punjab &Haryana                                                                                                                  | 616844                                                                                                                           | 3040757                                                                                                                          | 3657601                                                                                                                          |
| 24                                                                                                                               | Rajasthan                                                                                                                        | 244832                                                                                                                           | 228175                                                                                                                           | 473007                                                                                                                           |
| 25                                                                                                                               | Sikkim                                                                                                                           | 698                                                                                                                              | 16133                                                                                                                            | 16831                                                                                                                            |
| 26                                                                                                                               | Telangana                                                                                                                        | 1311437                                                                                                                          | 195565                                                                                                                           | 1507002                                                                                                                          |
| 27                                                                                                                               | Tripura                                                                                                                          | 22396                                                                                                                            | 37854                                                                                                                            | 60250                                                                                                                            |
| 28                                                                                                                               | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                      | 89051                                                                                                                            | 48597                                                                                                                            | 137648                                                                                                                           |
| Total                                                                                                                            | Total                                                                                                                            | 9231640                                                                                                                          | 25714770                                                                                                                         | 34946410                                                                                                                         |