ADDL. DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE E-Mail: talwant@yahoo.com In Delhi District Courts BY TALWANT SINGH ADDL. DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE DELHI E-Mail: talwant@yahoo.com Web-Site: www.delhicourts.nic.in

INTRODUCTION Independent, effective, just and efficient judicial system – a must in Democratic System. Modernization, streamlining and improved efficiency in court systems are paramount to increase Citizens’ faith and confidence in the Judicial System and State.

Objectives To help the Judicial Administration in streamlining its day-to-day activities To provide web based information and query counter for the benefit of litigants To provide transparency of information To cut short delays in all time critical applications

COURT COMPLEXES IN DELHI

Volume of the Project The ICT Project covers 300 Courts spread across the four Court Complexes i.e. Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Karkardooma and Rohini Courts Ranging from District Judge to Metropolitan Magistrates/Civil Judges About 1500 Desktop Computers with 25 Duel processor Servers and 600 printers

Hardware Database servers & Application servers are installed in computer centres in Four Court Complexes Every courtroom is provided with 4 computer systems and Laser printers connected on LAN. TFT Screens have been installed on Dias for Judges to see the orders & evidence being typed by Stenos.

Hardware Utility Courtrooms Computers are used for : Typing orders/judgments Generating Cause lists Maintenance of office records Automatic Notices generation Backlog data entry of cases Keep track of Case Files Send Data to Web-Site

Additional Hardware Computer systems are also installed in the Centralized Filing Counters, Cash Branch, Personnel Section, Library, Copying Agency, Record Room, Process Server section, etc. All these Computers are connected through LAN Networking with Servers

View of Nazarat Branch

Computerisation in Library

Computerised Filing Counter

Applications implemented The types of software applications are: Management Information Systems Public Interface Applications Financial & Stores Management Personnel Management Digitization of Record Rooms Video Conferencing Facility

Court with Video Conferencing facility

Management Information Systems Application Areas Contd... Management Information Systems Case Filing & Monitoring Digitally signed Certified Copies Automatic Notices Statistical Information Automatic Cause Lists Transfer & Disposal of Cases File Movement Monitoring

Public Interface Applications Cause Lists on Internet Judgements/ Daily Orders on Internet On-Line Enquiry Counter Access to High Court’s Judgements Facilitation Centres District Courts User Manual on Net Telephone Help Lines

Case Filing and Monitoring System Automatically registers fresh cases Produces receipts to the litigants Gives Unique Case Number to Litigant Generates List of cases filed in a day Posts cases to concerned courts Transfers Data to respective Courts

Summons / Notices All routine summons / notices to Parties, Advocates & Witnesses etc. are prepared automatically by the computer system as it has the formats of various notices and details required for generation of notices Progress of notices’ delivery is also tracked automatically

Statistical Information Whenever a new case is filed or a case is disposed or adjourned, etc., the court clerk updates the database. Using the updated information accurate statistical information such Institution, Disposal and pendency statements, etc., are generated instantaneously.

Digitally signed Certified Copies The Facilitation Counter generates hard copies of orders and judgements as certified copies. As soon as the orders are signed by the judges, the same after digitally signing will be made available on LAN. It will help in generating the certified copies without delay. There will be no need to physically move files to copying agency anymore.

Personnel Information System Through this the Court employees are accessing personal details like Leave position, Loan details, availability of LTC, Circulars, Notices, etc. from any computer system installed in the Courts. Salary Slips are sent electronically.

Public Interface Applications Facilitation Counter provides : Status of a pending case Copies of already pronounced orders / judgements Copy of Cause List Complete history of a pending case Advocate information File tracing information Name of the Court where a case is pending by giving only party name

One of the Facilitation Centre in District Courts of Delhi

Case Status on Internet: Public Interface Applications Contd... Case Status on Internet: The entire District Court case status information will be made available on Internet. Litigant can find out the status of their pending cases along with the latest orders of the court from any computer system connected to Internet.

Public Interface Applications Contd… Orders on Internet Daily orders of the court are available on Internet for information of the litigants. No need to approach the court for getting a copy of an order. Final Judgements are also available, which can be downloaded for information purpose.

District Courts’ web site A web-site for the Delhi District Court is created. It contain its history, jurisdiction, rules, judges profile, Location map, types of courts, contact details, Guidelines, Bar associations, etc. In addition to this the site also has links to case-status, judgments, Orders, etc., applications. The site can be accessed at: www.delhicourts.nic.in

Advantages gained Reduces case processing time Automatic generation of notices The Judges get precedents instantaneously Transparency of Information Implementation of routine activities as per the established procedure Timely information to the litigant public

Advantages gained contd.. Generation of accurate statistics Cause lists, judgments, case status on Internet Reduces delay tactics Access to precedents, court events, law points, etc. Availability of requisite information to judges for expeditious case disposal

Training Full-fledged Training Centers have been established in each court complex with: 15-20 computers Printers Audio-visual Projector LAN with Internet facility All the Judges & court officials have been trained in use of computers & software NIC provided regular training on each module to all related employees.

View of the Training Room

FUTURE PLANS Direct Connectivity with Delhi High Court, Police Stations, Labs and Jails Interactive Voice Response System Automated Attendance Marking System Digitization of Disposed Records

SMS Enquiry Facility for Lawyers/Litigants FUTURE PLANS CONTD.. SMS Enquiry Facility for Lawyers/Litigants Automatic Staff Posting System Minute to Minute progress of Cause Lists on Internet, Mobile Phones & Electronic Display Boards Full- Fledged E-Filing via Internet Digital Signatures for all Judges

COURTS IT PROGRESS YESTERDAY TODAY Inquiries Tricky Manual Filing Paper Based Trials No IT Infrastructure Manual Data Handling Manual Recording Paper based Orders TODAY Word Processing Internet & Intranet Video Conferencing Digital Signatures Standard IT Structure E- Data Exchange E-Orders

Miles To Go Before I Sleep….. THANKS Presented by: TALWANT SINGH ADDL DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE DELHI talwant@yahoo.com