COMPUTERIZATION OF
SUBORDINATE COURTS
The Department
of Justice has taken initiative in getting plans prepared for
a model scheme of computerization and networking of subordinate
courts in consultation with the subordinate courts and the High
Courts under whose supervision the subordinate courts function.
The model computerization of subordinate courts will be installed
by the State Governments in consultation with the Centre. This
will be in addition to the on-going computerization of subordinate
courts in four metros of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai.
The main features of the use of information
technology will include installation of two computers in each
court—one in the court room and the other in the chamber of the
judge or magistrate, networking of computers in each State, creation
of a website on which information relating to court cases, cause
lists and court judgemenets could be accessed, facility for electronic
filing of petitions and complaints addressed to the court and
paying court fees and stamp duties through credit cards, storage
of all court orders on common servers, retrieval of certified
copies from a central filing and facilitation center, electronic
display of cause lists and order of hearing in courts on a video
screen on the pattern on which flight schedules are displayed
at airports, Interactive Voice Response System to facilitate access
to information relating to court cases like date of hearing through
telephone by keying in relevant details like case number and court
number on the pattern of railway reservation enquiry, access to
judicial database like rulings of the Supreme Court and High Courts,
facility for access to court orders on the internet, video conferencing
links with jails to eliminate the need of transporting under trials
from jails to the courts merely for seeking remand.
As a result, the application areas
to be computerized will cover filing counter, query counter, database
of pending cases, cause list generation, updating of databases,
notices generation, certified copies, electronic filing, e-mail
based communication, COURTNIC on internet, interactive voice response
system, e-courts, availability of pending case status on internet,
orders and judgement copies on internet, pay roll and personal
information system.
The use of information technology
in courts is intended to enhance its productivity, efficiency
and speed up disposal of cases. In addition, it will effect economy
in the establishment cost.
