Source: Indian Express

Why in News?

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud recently announced that now the Supreme Court’s data related to the pendency and disposal of cases will be available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal.

Background

• The CJI while addressing an open court announced that the SC Registry’s computer cell along with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has contributed to onboarding the real-time case data of SC on the NJDG portal.
• He addressed that 80,000 cases are pending, 15,000 are not registered yet, so they are not pending yet.
• He added that judges have graphs now related to that data which has now aided in the disposal of 5,000-plus cases in July 2023.
• He addressed 583 cases pending before 3-judge benches, and soon he will set up those benches to dispose of the data.

CJI’s Observation

• While discussing NJDG, 50th CJI opined that, “Onboarding of SC data on NJDG portal under the open data policy is a step on our part to bring transparency and accountability in the judicial domain”.

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)

• Introduction:
  • The NJDG was developed by NIC under the Central Government Ease of Doing Business initiative.
  • It is a part of eCourts Integrated Mission Mode Project which has been under implementation since 2007.
    • Phase I of the project was implemented during 2011-2015.
    • Phase II of the project started in 2015 to computerize District and Subordinate Court’s data. However, data of these courts were updated on NJDG portal on 7^th August 2013.
    • NJDG for High Courts was launched by Shri. K.K. Venugopal on 3^rd July 2020.
    • From 2023, SC data is also available on the portal.
  • Its primary purpose is to monitor the status of pending and resolved cases within SC, HCs and Subordinate Courts.
• Functions:
  • NJDG offers an extensive repository containing orders, judgments, and case particulars from District and Subordinate Courts, HCs and SC.
  • This web portal enables open access to statistics for all visitors.
  • Furthermore, NJDG functions as a decision support system, assisting courts in monitoring case delays based on various attributes, such as year wise, coram wise pending cases and pending cases in each branch of law such as civil, criminal etc.
• Challenges:
  • Inconsistencies in data entry, missing information, and errors can affect the reliability of the platform.
  • India's vast geographical and infrastructural diversity posed challenges in ensuring that all courts, especially those in remote areas, which do not have the necessary infrastructure and connectivity to participate effectively in the NJDG.
  • Ensuring the privacy and security of court records and case details has been an ongoing challenge.

Benefits of NJDG

• Transparency:
  • The NJDG has significantly enhanced transparency and accountability within the system by openly sharing information about the status and disposal of cases nationwide.
• Streamlined Mechanism:
  • Till now, it aided HC judges, District Judges, and the HC Registry in judicial planning, monitoring, and remote administration.
  • Citizens can access case information, judgments, and orders online, reducing the scope for corruption and malpractice.
• Time Effectiveness:
  • The timely data provided by NJDG is proving invaluable to authorities as they shape policies and make decisions related to judicial governance.
  • One of the most notable impacts of the NJDG has been the reduction in the backlog of cases. The digitization of case records and real-time tracking of case progress has significantly accelerated the pace of justice delivery.
• Access to Justice:
  • NJDG has provided access to justice, particularly for marginalized and disadvantaged communities.
  • Litigants no longer need to travel long distances or rely on intermediaries to access legal information.
• Reduction of Case Pendency:
  • One of the most notable impacts of the NJDG has been the reduction in the pendency of cases.
  • The digitization of case records and real-time tracking of case progress has significantly accelerated the pace of justice delivery.