Lok Sabha Question No. 2063 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Justice Delivery System
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Dr. Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2063 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 02 ND  AUGUST, 2024

## JUSTICE DELIVERY SYSTEM

## 2063.  DR. PRADEEP KUMAR PANIGRAHY:

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

- (a) the manner in which the justice delivery system is able to foster greater public trust and confidence in the judiciary; and
- (b) the steps taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve transparency,  public  outreach  and  community  engagement  and  to  ensure  fair justice delivery system?

## ANSWER

## THE 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 (b): The justice delivery  system  consists of  a  number of stakeholders involved in dispensation of justice which, inter-alia, includes  the judiciary,  law enforcement  authorities,  prosecution  agencies  and  legal  aid  authorities.  These stakeholders  are  required  to  work  in  coordination  to  resolve  disputes,  enforce laws and administer justice in order to foster greater public trust and confidence.

The  Government  is  committed  towards  facilitating  an  ecosystem  that promotes  transparency,  public  outreach  and  community  engagement  thereby aiding  a  fair  justice  delivery  system.  Some  of  the  initiatives  taken  by  the Government in this regard are as under: -

- i. The Government had set up the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms in 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  improved  infrastructure  for  courts  including computerization, increase in strength of subordinate judiciary, policy and legislative measures  in  the areas  prone to excessive litigation, reengineering of court procedure for quick disposal of cases and emphasis on human resource development.

- ii. Under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, information and communication technology (ICT) has been leveraged for IT enablement of  the  Indian  Judiciary.  The  intervention  of  technology  through  the eCourts  Project  is  considered  as  one  of  the  important  factors  that  has contributed to promotion of greater transparency and expeditious disposal of cases. At present, there are 18,735 computerised District and Subordinate  courts.  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. As on 30.04.2024, 1050 e-Sewa Kendras have been set up at court complexes to facilitate citizen  centric  services  to  lawyers  and  litigants.  As  on  31.05.2024,  28 virtual courts have been set up in 21 States/UTs,which have handled over 5.08 crore cases and realized more than Rs. 561.09 crores in fines.  The components of the eCourts Project such as Video Conferencing, Virtual Courts for Traffic Challans, eFiling, ePayment, e-Sewa Kendras, e-Courts Services  App  and  Portal,  JustIS  app,  National  Service  and  Tracking  of Electronic  Processes  (NSTEP),  etc.  have  helped  in  reducing  procedural delays, thus, enabling faster adjudication of cases.The Union Cabinet on 13.09.2023  has  approved  the  Phase-III  of  the  e-Courts  Project  with  an outlay of Rs.7,210 crores. Taking the gains of Phase-I and II to the next level, the main objective of the Phase-III is to create a unified technology

platform  for  the  judiciary,  which  will  provide  a  seamless  and  paperless interface between the courts, the litigants and other stakeholders.

- iii. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Judicial Infrastructure that is being implemented since 1993-1994, 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 ease the life of lawyers and litigants, thereby aiding justice delivery. Since its  inception,  Rs.11167.36 crores have been released under this Scheme. The number of court halls has increased  from  15,818  as on  30.06.2014 to 23,020 as on date, and number of residential units has increased from 10,211 as on 30.06.2014 to 20,836 as on date.
- iv. The Government has been regularly filling up the vacancies in the higher judiciary.  From 01.05.2014 to 09.07.2024, 62 Judges were appointed in the  Supreme  Court  of  India.  976  new  Judges  were  appointed  and  745 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. The sanctioned and working strength of judicial officers in District and Subordinate courts has increased as under:
- v. Under  the  aegis  of  the  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission,  Fast  Track Courts  have  been  established  for  dealing  with  cases  of  heinous  crimes; cases involving senior citizens, women, children, etc. As on 31.05.2024, 866 Fast Track Courts are functional for trying cases of heinous crimes, crimes against women and children, etc.

|                     | As on 31.12.2013   | As on 29.07.2024   |
|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Sanctioned Strength | 19,518             | 25,609             |
| Working Strength    | 15,115             | 20,371             |

- vi. Special  Courts  also  exist  in  order  to  fast  track  criminal  cases  involving elected Members  of Parliament (MPs) / Members of Legislative Assembly  (MLAs).Ten  (10)  Special  Courts  are  functional  in  nine  (9) States/UTs.
- vii. For the safety and security of women and girl child, Fast Track Special Courts  (FTSCs)  including  exclusive  POCSO  Courts  have  been  set  up across the country for the expeditious disposal of pending cases of  rape and  offences  under  the  POCSO  Act.  As  on  31.05.2024,  a  total  of  755 FTSCs including 410 exclusive POCSO (ePOCSO) Courts are functional in  30  States/UTs  across  the  country  which  have  disposed  of  more  than 2,53,000 cases.
- viii. Alternate  Dispute  Resolution  methods  have  been  promoted  through legislative amendments. TheCommercial Courts Act, 2015 was amended on 20th August, 2018, making Pre-institution Mediation and Settlement (PIMS)  mandatory  in  case  of  commercial  disputes.  Arbitration  and ConciliationAct,  1996  was  amended  by  Arbitration  and  Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2015 for expediting the speedy resolution of disputes by prescribing timelines. The recently enacted Mediation Act, 2023, lays down that mediation can be conducted in civil and commercial matters, in terms of the provisions of the said Act.
- ix. Lok Adalat is also an important Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanism, where the disputes/ cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are amicably settled/ compromised.  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 cases disposed of in National Lok Adalats during the last three years are as under: -

| Year                | Pre-litigation   | Pending Cases   | Total Cases   |
|---------------------|------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 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                | 7,10,32,980      | 1,43,09,237     | 8,53,42,217   |
| 2024 (upto June,24) | 2,86,75,168      | 56,88,231       | 3,43,63,399   |
| Total               | 13,79,29,657     | 3,64,90,006     | 17,44,19,663  |

- x. The Tele-Law programme started by the Central Government in 2017 is an  effective  and  reliable  e-interface  platform  connecting  the  needy  and disadvantaged sections seeking legal advice with panel lawyers via video conferencing,  telephone  and  chat  facilities  available  at  the  Common Service Centres (CSCs) situated in Gram Panchayat or through Tele-Law mobile  App.  Till  30 th June,  2024,  a  total  of  90,51,131  cases  were registered  on  Tele-Law,  out  of  which  advice  has  been  enabled  in 89,57,714 cases.
- xi. Nyaya  Bandhu  is  India's  first  dispensation  pro  bono  framework  where interested  lawyers  give  pro  bono  services  to  the  disadvantaged  persons registered  under  Section  12  of  Legal  Services  Act,1987.  As  on  date, 11,146 Pro Bono advocates are registered from 24 State Bar Councils & 22  High  Courts  and  Pro  Bono  Clubs  have  been  activated  in  89  laws schools to instill Pro Bono culture in budding lawyers.

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