JAMMU, Dec 8: In the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, nearly 3.80 lakh cases remain pending in various courts, including the High Court, while the utilization of funds allocated under the e-Courts Project Phase-III has been suboptimal. This information was provided by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, in response to a Lok Sabha question about the backlog of cases in the States and Union Territories.
As of November 30, 2024, the Minister cited data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), indicating that 3,32,802 cases are pending in the District and Subordinate Courts of Jammu and Kashmir, alongside 1,456 cases in Ladakh. The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has a backlog of 45,464 cases.
Addressing queries about the expedited handling of these cases, the Minister noted that timely disposal is solely within the judiciary’s purview. However, he emphasized the Government’s commitment to creating an environment conducive to quick case resolution, as mandated under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Government established the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms in 2011, aimed at improving access to justice by reducing delays and backlogs while enhancing accountability through structural reforms and establishing performance standards.
The Minister explained that the Mission works on a coordinated strategy to systematically eliminate arrears and improve judicial administration, which includes upgrading court infrastructure, increasing the workforce of the subordinate judiciary, streamlining court procedures for faster resolution, and focusing on developing human resources. Regarding the e-Courts Project, the Minister reported that Rs 18,98,11,200 was allocated to Jammu and Kashmir under Phase II, with Rs 18,98,05,544 utilized.
For Phase III of the project, Rs 15,37,18,800 was sanctioned for the financial year 2023-24, with only Rs 6,52,38,800 utilized. In the current financial year (2024-25), Rs 6,17,43,526 was released, but no utilization has been reported. The e-Courts Mission Mode Project aims to promote Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian judiciary and is being implemented by the Department of Justice in conjunction with the e-Committee of the Supreme Court through the respective High Courts.
Phase I focused on basic computerization from 2011-2015, while Phase II, covering 2015-2023, concentrated on ICT enablement for District and Subordinate Courts and various citizen-centric initiatives. Approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2023, Phase III (2023-2027) has an outlay of Rs 7210 crore, which is more than four times the funding of Phase II.
This phase will introduce new digital initiatives, including the establishment of digital courts, digitization of court records (both legacy and pending cases), and the expansion of video-conferencing facilities for courts, jails, and hospitals, as well as utilizing technologies like Artificial Intelligence for analyzing case backlogs and predicting future litigation. Regarding the performance of Fast Track Special Courts, the Minister noted that four such courts in J&K have disposed of 242 cases as of October 31, 2024.
