Inaugurating the e-Courts project for computerisation of courts here on Monday evening (9/7/07), the President said that the e-judiciary initiative should help in transforming court service to better system for meeting the needs of the citizens. Sharing his vision for e-judiciary in the country, the President called for setting up of the judicial e-Governance grid from the district courts to the Apex court. He said, “this grid will ensure seamless flow of information and case objects across the inter-departmental barrier.” Dr. Kalam said for this purpose, National Identity Card has to be the primary data base linking all the e-governance activities. The objective of the e-governance should be to ensure the seamless flow of information across the various units of Government, judiciary, institutions and citizens crossing the inter-departmental barrier. The President said that e-judiciary will have to be in a position to provide information in the real time on the rights and responsibilities of the citizens.
Delivering the key note address, the Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice K. G. Balakrishnan, described the launching of e-Court Project as “a watershed in the judicial delivery system in India.” He said the project on its successful completion would greatly strengthen the people’s faith in judiciary as ‘we contemplate delivery of speedy justice mechanism.’ He said that the objective of the project is to make justice cost-effective, expeditious and transparent.
Expressing his full support to the e-judiciary programme, the Law and Justice Minister, Shri H. R. Bhardwaj, said that the legal profession should also adopt e-Governance programme so that there could be convergence between the lawyers and the courts. The Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Shri A. Raja also assured his Ministry’s full support to the project. He said that it will facilitate deliverance of speedy justice.
The President gave away laptops to four judicial officers from each zone in the country as a symbolic presentation. Around 15000 judicial officers would be provided with laptops. He also launched the Indian judiciary’s official website portal www.indianjudiciary.in.
The project of computerisation of courts is being implemented in three phases over a period of five years. Under the first phase, computer rooms and judicial service centres would be provided in all the 2500 court complexes in the country. State-of the-art video conferencing facility at the Supreme Court, High Courts and all the district courts would be set up and digital inter-connectivity between all the courts from the Taluka level to the Apex Court would be established.
Under the second phase complete automation of registry level processes would be adopted. Digital availability of case laws, statute laws and law literature would be available through the website of Indian judiciary. Facilities of e-filling at the subordinate courts would be made available. The third phase is expected to lead to the creation of Information Gateways between courts and public agencies and departments. The purpose of the project is to rejuvenate the Indian judicial system thereby ensuring transparency, accountability and cost effectiveness in the delivery of justice.
Quelle/Source: Press Information Bureau, 10.07.2007
