e‑Courts Mission Mode Project Phase III (2023‑27): डिजिटल, पेपर‑लेस कोर्ट और AI इंटीग्रेशन

Key Insight

e‑Courts Phase III drives paper‑less, AI‑enabled judiciary – a key digital‑governance reform.

Key Facts

1. Phase III (2023‑27) targets 4,519 courts with e‑Filing and e‑Payments.
2. 1,806 eSewa Kendras set up to assist litigants with digital services.
3. 753.60 crore pages of court records have been digitised.
4. 474 courts equipped for fully paper‑less operations; 538 courts upgraded for virtual hearings.
5. 2,372 training programmes conducted for judges, lawyers and court staff.
6. SD‑WAN connectivity established at 174 court sites for secure high‑speed networking.
7. Integration with Inter‑operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) completed across all High Courts.

Background

The e‑Courts Mission Mode Project is a flagship e‑governance initiative aimed at modernising the judiciary. It aligns with constitutional goals of speedy justice (Article 21) and the government's Digital India agenda, linking technology, governance and access to justice.

UPSC Syllabus

• GS3 — IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and IPR
• Essay — Media, Communication and Information
• GS4 — Information sharing, transparency, RTI, codes of ethics and conduct
• Prelims_GS — Constitution and Political System
• Prelims_CSAT — Data Interpretation
• Essay — Science, Technology and Society
• GS2 — Executive and Judiciary - structure, organization and functioning
• GS3 — Infrastructure - Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways
• GS2 — Comparison with other countries constitutional schemes
• Essay — Economy, Development and Inequality

Mains Angle

GS‑2 (Polity) – discuss how digital reforms like e‑Courts enhance judicial efficiency and accountability; GS‑3 (Technology) – evaluate the role of AI and SD‑WAN in transforming public institutions.