Centre gives more funds for e-court project

NEW DELHI: Government today enhanced allocation for the ambitious 'E-court' project that aims at computerising the country's entire judicial process right from the trial courts to the Supreme Court.

A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved Rs 935 crore as the revised estimate for implementing the project as against Rs 441.8 crore approved in 2007.

The revised estimate for the project would now cover 14,249 courts in 3,069 court complexes as against 13,348 courts in 2,100 court complexes approved earlier.

"Comprehensive computerisation and ICT enabling of 12,000 courts in 2,100 court complexes will be covered by March 31, 2012. The remaining 2,249 courts in 969 court complexes will be fully computerised by March 31, 2014," an official spokesperson said.

Among other things, the revised estimates include provisions for Wide Area Network connectivity and data entry of pending cases and providing for equipment for uninterrupted power supply for the ICT infrastructure at the courts, she said.

An Empowered Committee would be constituted in the Department of Justice that would be responsible for providing strategic direction and guidance to the project, she said.

The implementation of the project would result in transparent flow of information on case status and verdict of cases to the litigants and other stakeholders and help in improving case flow and court management.

The project also provides for establishment of video conferencing facilities in courts and prisons to facilitate production of under-trial prisoners, the spokesperson added.