Lok Sabha Question No. 2694 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Time Limit for Disposal of Cases
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Deepak Baij

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.†2694 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 04 TH  AUGUST, 2023

## TIME LIMIT FOR DISPOSAL OF CASES

## †2694. SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

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

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to fix any time limit for disposal of civil and criminal cases increasing in district courts of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is contemplating to bring technology based system for quick and speedy disposal of pending cases in district courts; and
- (d) the details of pending civil and criminal cases in district courts of the country, State-wise?

## 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) & (b ): No Sir. Disposal of cases or fixing time lines for disposal  lies within the exclusive domain of the judiciary and the Central Government has no direct role in the matter.  Hence  there  is  no  proposal  under  contemplation  by  the  Government  for  fixing timelines for disposal of civil and criminal cases in district courts of the country.
- (c): Under  the  eCourts  Integrated  Mission  Mode  Project,  the  Government  has endeavored  for  the  Information  and  communications  technology (ICT)  enablement  of district/subordinate courts of the country. This would facilitate faster disposal of cases by

speeding  up  court  processes  and  providing  transparent  on-line  flow  of  information  on case status, orders/judgments etc. to the judiciary as well as litigants, lawyers and other stakeholders.

With its objective of universal computerization and Information and Communication  Technology  enablement  of  all  the  District  and  Subordinate  Court complexes, the Department of Justice in close coordination with e-Committee of Supreme Court of India is implementing eCourts Project Phase-II.Till Phase-II, 18,735 District and Subordinate Courts have been computerized. As part of WAN project, connectivity has been provided to 99.4% of total Court Complexes across India. Using National Judicial Data  Grid  (NJDG),  Lawyers  and  Litigants  can  access  case  status  information  of  23.34 crore cases and more than 22.21 crore orders/judgments. 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,  using  video conferencing, the District and Subordinate Courts and High courts have heard nearly 2.77 crore cases and the Supreme Court had heard nearly 4.82 lakh cases. 22 Virtual Courts have been established in 18 States / UTs to try traffic offences and have realized fine of more than Rs. 419.89 crores. To bridge the digital divide, 819eSewaKendras have been made functional under 25 High Courts. Citizen centric services are provided through 7 platforms or service delivery channels for providing real time information on case status, cause lists, judgements etc. to lawyers/litigants. Live streaming of court proceedings has started in Gujarat, Gauhati, Orissa, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Patna, Madhya Pradesh High Courts  &Constitutional  Bench  of  Hon'ble  Supreme  court  of  India.  Judgment  Search Portal  has  been  providing  copies  of  judgments  of  High  Courts  free  of  cost.  eCourts project have been accorded multiple awards of national repute.

In the Union Budget 2023-2024, the Government of India announced Phase-III of e-Courts project with an outlay of Rs.7000 crore. Based on the  Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved by the e-Committee, Supreme Court of India, the Expenditure Finance Committee in its meeting held on 23.02.2023 has approved the eCourts Phase III with a total outlay of Rs.7210 Crore. Further, the Empowered Technology Group chaired by the

Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister in its meeting held on 21.06.2023 has also recommended to the Cabinet the eCourts Phase III for approval.

(d): The  detailed  statement  showing  the  pending  civil  and  criminal  cases  in  district courts of the country, State-wise is at ANNEXURE-I

*******

## Annexure - I

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (D)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2694 FOR ANSWER ON 04.08.2023 REGARDING 'TIME LIMIT FOR DISPOSAL OF CASES.

| Pendency in District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.07.2023   | Pendency in District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.07.2023   | Pendency in District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.07.2023   | Pendency in District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.07.2023   | Pendency in District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.07.2023   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                        | State                                                          | Civil                                                          | Criminal                                                       | Both                                                           |
| 1                                                              | Andaman and Nicobar                                            | 3343                                                           | 5287                                                           | 8630                                                           |
| 2                                                              | Andhra Pradesh                                                 | 417412                                                         | 437582                                                         | 854994                                                         |
| 3                                                              | Arunachal Pradesh                                              | 403                                                            | 984                                                            | 1387                                                           |
| 4                                                              | Assam                                                          | 101498                                                         | 369244                                                         | 470742                                                         |
| 5                                                              | Bihar                                                          | 526587                                                         | 2990092                                                        | 3516679                                                        |
| 6                                                              | Chandigarh                                                     | 23257                                                          | 59160                                                          | 82417                                                          |
| 7                                                              | Chhattisgarh                                                   | 79713                                                          | 331271                                                         | 410984                                                         |
| 8                                                              | Delhi                                                          | 240630                                                         | 989172                                                         | 1229802                                                        |
| 9                                                              | Diu and Daman                                                  | 1450                                                           | 1637                                                           | 3087                                                           |
| 10                                                             | DNH at Silvasa                                                 | 1960                                                           | 2130                                                           | 4090                                                           |
| 11                                                             | Goa                                                            | 26092                                                          | 30579                                                          | 56671                                                          |
| 12                                                             | Gujarat                                                        | 409327                                                         | 1298017                                                        | 1707344                                                        |
| 13                                                             | Haryana                                                        | 458943                                                         | 1073130                                                        | 1532073                                                        |
| 14                                                             | Himachal Pradesh                                               | 164105                                                         | 382918                                                         | 547023                                                         |
| 15                                                             | Jammu and Kashmir                                              | 100888                                                         | 218780                                                         | 319668                                                         |
| 16                                                             | Jharkhand                                                      | 88955                                                          | 437654                                                         | 526609                                                         |
| 17                                                             | Karnataka                                                      | 940836                                                         | 992795                                                         | 1933631                                                        |
| 18                                                             | Kerala                                                         | 524143                                                         | 1368494                                                        | 1892637                                                        |
| 19                                                             | Ladakh                                                         | 633                                                            | 590                                                            | 1223                                                           |
| 20                                                             | Madhya Pradesh                                                 | 403318                                                         | 1613043                                                        | 2016361                                                        |
| 21                                                             | Maharashtra                                                    | 1629295                                                        | 3519527                                                        | 5148822                                                        |
| 22                                                             | Manipur                                                        | 8319                                                           | 4410                                                           | 12729                                                          |
| 23                                                             | Meghalaya                                                      | 4441                                                           | 11511                                                          | 15952                                                          |
| 24                                                             | Mizoram                                                        | 2555                                                           | 3297                                                           | 5852                                                           |
| 25                                                             | Nagaland                                                       | 621                                                            | 2647                                                           | 3268                                                           |
| 26                                                             | Odisha                                                         | 284803                                                         | 1247904                                                        | 1532707                                                        |
| 27                                                             | Puducherry                                                     | 13461                                                          | 20603                                                          | 34064                                                          |
| 28                                                             | Punjab                                                         | 398883                                                         | 519386                                                         | 918269                                                         |
| 29                                                             | Rajasthan                                                      | 561500                                                         | 1719363                                                        | 2280863                                                        |
| 30                                                             | Sikkim                                                         | 629                                                            | 1173                                                           | 1802                                                           |
| 31                                                             | Tamil Nadu                                                     | 753954                                                         | 724220                                                         | 1478174                                                        |
| 32                                                             | Telangana                                                      | 345482                                                         | 567425                                                         | 912907                                                         |
| 33                                                             | Tripura                                                        | 11689                                                          | 32928                                                          | 44617                                                          |
| 34                                                             | Uttar Pradesh                                                  | 1869280                                                        | 9784280                                                        | 11653560                                                       |
| 35                                                             | Uttarakhand                                                    | 45499                                                          | 293248                                                         | 338747                                                         |
| 36                                                             | West Bengal                                                    | 624148                                                         | 2291214                                                        | 2915362                                                        |
| Total                                                          | Total                                                          | 11068052                                                       | 33345695                                                       | 44413747                                                       |

Source: - National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)