e-Courts Project Implementation Plan

1. e-Courts Project Implementation Plan

2. Chronolgy NIC initiated computerised activities in the Indian Judiciary in 1990 by taking up the computeristaion of the Supreme Court of India. During 1992-95 NIC took up the computerisation of all High Courts on the lines of the Supreme court computerisation program. During 1997-99 NIC implemented IT activities in 430 District Courts primarily for creating awareness. In 2002-05 implemented Metro & Capital city courts Since 2007 NIC has been implementing phase I of District & Subordinate courts project at a cost of Rs.442 cr to be completed in 2 years

3. Earlier Computerisation Schemes 1997 : 430 DISTRICT COURTS, Rs 15 Cr//1 PC/DISTRICT JUDGE 2001-02 : 700 METRO CIVIL COURTS (Rs.17.8 Cr)/2.5 PCs/COURT 2003-04 : 781 COURTS IN 29 CAPITAL TOWNS (Rs.24.8 Cr)/2.5 PCs/COURT

4. Introduction: eCourts MMP Integrated Mission Mode Project Approved by CCEA on February 2, 2007 Cost Rs. 442 crores, Duration : 2 years Coverage ICT enablement of District and Subordinate Courts Upgradation of ICT infrastructure of supreme court & high courts Implementing agency- NIC, Consultation & guidance of E-Committee 4

5. Public Interface applications 1. Causelists on Internet • The Advocates & Litigants can get the Cause lists as soon as they are out in the Registry. • No need to wait for the hardcopy to be delivered late in the evening. • Advocates can easily locate/generate their own CLs 2. Daily Orders • Litigants can get Daily Orders on Internet • No need to approach the court • No scope for any hassles • It receives about 150,000 hits a day

6. Public Interface applications 3. Case status on Internet • Up-to-Date status of a case can be found out through the web • No need to contact either the Registry or the advocate • Litigants can keep track of their cases & maintain case records on their own • No chance for corruption in obtaining case related information

7. Public Interface applications 4. Judgments Information System • Contains about 60,000 reported judgments of Apex court. • Judgments are available on the net • Litigants can obtain relevant judgments as soon as they are delivered • Advocates can maintain their own Case law library without much expenditure • Interactive Voice Response SystemSupreme court cases can be accessed on IVRS. Ph. No: 24357276

8. Public Interface applications 6. Digitally Signed Certified Copies As the Digitally signed copies need not be cross checked with the original file, it can be served to the litigant on the spot with out time delay. • As there will be no delay in issuing Certified Copy, the dealing clerk has to provide the copy on the spot. • No chance for excuses • The litigant can even down load an electronically certified copy from the net with out contacting the court.

9. Public Interface applications 7. Indiacode • Contains all acts of parliament right from 1834 onwards. • Each Act contains: Short Title, Enactment dt., Sections and Schedule. • Up-to-date Acts, Amendments, etc., can be retrieved through the web • Judges & Librarians can maintain reliable & updated India code

10. Public Interface applications 8. e-Filing It envisages filing of cases by the advocates electronically from his/her office. The advocate gets a receipt under digital signature of court authority. The person filing cases electronically, is entitled to receive the proceedings of the court electronically. • It avoids litigants/advocates to visit the courts for filing their cases • Courts need not transfer the filed documents into electronic form • Convenient, reliable, easy and efficient

11. Modules in e-Courts 1 - Distribution of Laptops and Laser Printers 2 - Personalised Training to judges 3 - Connectivity to laptops – Broadband 4 - Connectivity at court complexes 5 –Videoconferencing 6 – Site preparation 7 –Hardware 8 –Application Software 9 - Technical Manpower 11

12. Project Execution Ministry of Information Technology Center Project Consultants NIC – Infra & Soft Teams E-Committee Department Of Justice Supreme Court Project Consultants NIC State Unit Steering Committee HC Site Prep Committee High Courts State District Implementation Committee NIC District Unit District Court (499) Vendors & State Agencies - PWD District Citizens of India Sub- District / Taluka Sub-district Court Team Sub-district Court Consultants Planning, Execution and Control 12

13. Project Challenges – Site Preparation Site Preparation Guidelines and Specifications circulated Formation of Site Preparation Committees at High Courts in progress Progress to be expedited on part of Engaging PWD and Vendor Identification Preparation of Cost Estimates Preparation of Layout diagrams Workshop held on 9th Jan, exclusively for Site Preparation Strong emphasis laid out on Site Preparation Urging High Courts to form Committees, submit Cost estimates 13

14. Site Preparation • Formation of Committee • Identification of vendor • Cost estimates and layout diagrams, to be approved by Committee • NIC will release payment after receiving above • Cost estimates should be around Rs.2 Lakh/site • Completion certificate to be vetted by High Courts and District Courts • Site Preparation excludes LAN • AC/DG sets procurement - central empanelment 14

15. Laser printers • Number of Laser Printers are equal to the number of Laptops • Stock Entry will be done at High Courts Procedure for stock entry, delivery, installation, and certification needs to be finalised • Only one installation certificate should be sent per High court 15

16. Email/Internet • BSNL/MTNL is facility provider • BSNL is provided with lists of address of judges vetted by HCs • NIC is receiving lists directly from judges, not vetted by DJs or HCs • Installation note to be signed by concerned judge • All installation notes to be compiled together and vetted by respective High Courts before sending to NIC • Change of addresses, phone nos., transfers and retirement of judges – How to manage ? 16

17. Internet Connectivity at Court Complexes • BSNL is facility provider • Broadband based connectivity • Wi-fi based connectivity in one room • This arrangement will be till leased line / SWAN connectivity is made available to each court • List of addresses of all court complexes vetted by HCs 17

18. Video Conferencing • District court wise requirement of VC to be vetted by High Courts and sent to NIC • Exclude sites where VC facility already exists • VC will be based on VSAT technology • At court end, complete VC facility will be made available. • At Jail end , low end VC facility • Procedure for stock entry, delivery, installation, and certification to be finalised 18

19. Hardware • 4 Computers (desktops and thin clients) with 3 printers will be given per court • 2 computers in court, 1 in Judicial Service Centre (JSC), 1 for General purpose – Payroll, etc • 3 Printers – 2 in Court, 1 in JSC/General Purpose • All computers in a court complex will be networked to a server • At each court complex one scanner will be provided • Procedure for stock entry, delivery, installation, and certification to be discussed 19

20. Technical Manpower • At each High Court – 1 Senior System Officer, 1 System Officer, 2 System Assistants • At each District court – 1 System Officer, 2 System Assistants • Deployed for 18 man-months • Will report to High Court and District Court Judges as the case may be • Whenever need arises, they will visit the subordinate courts • TA/DA will be paid 20

21. Project Monitoring System The web based e-Courts Project Monitoring System will enable in: • Monitoring progress at each court complex for • Site Preparation, Hardware, LAN, Training, etc • Providing access to key project documents • Action Plans and Guidelines, • Information on committees at each High Court • Generating status reports at each level • Court Complex, District, and High Court • Providing general information on • Vendors • Product Installation and Usage

22. Key Achievements • 13000 laptops supplied to Judges • ICT training of Judges/staff underway: • 10853/ 13000 Judges • 43412 / 60000 staff trained • Broadband connection has been provided at 8717 Judge residences, 469 district courts and 896 taluka courts. • Dial up connection has been provided at 971 judge residences, 17 district courts and 376 taluka courts. • 13000 laser printers have been delivered to Judges. • Project Monitoring Website launched • SW standardization Committee’s first meeting was held on 26th April 08. • Engaging Project Consultants for Project Management and Process Reengineering 22

23. Key Achievements…. Site-preparation • Site preparation specifications and guidelines circulated. Site preparation estimates have been received out of about 2900 Court Complexes, from 1998 from the following states / UTs: • Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh,Gujarat, Haryana, HP, J & K, Karnataka, Kerala, MP, Maharastra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, TamilNadu, Tripura, UP, Uttrakhand, and West Bengal. • The Total Estmated Cost = Rs.41.7 Cr for 1998 Court Complexes.

24. HW items for District & sub-ordinate courts Depending on the requirement the District & Sub-ordinate courts will be get the following items: • Rack Mount Server 1U • Rack Mount Server 2U • Thin Clients • Slim PC1 • Mono Laser Printers • 24 pin,136 Column DMP Printer • Scanner (Legal)-15ppm • Portable projector • KVA On-line UPS with 120 min back up • 2 KVA On-line UPS with 120 min back up • 500 VA Line-Interactive UPS with 120 min backup • LAN Items (Active & Passive)

25. Activities in Queue • Videoconferencing – Bids to be received from vendors • Technical Manpower – Job orders are given to empanelled vendors • Hardware and Network – Technical evaluation is going on • Software Application Standardisation Version 1 • Formation of Software Development Committees for Supreme Court, High Courts and Lower Courts – Completed 25

26. Service levels – litigant public

27. Service levels - for Registry

28. Project Acceleration Steps • E-Committee, NIC & DoJ to play a key role in speeding up the implementation process • Launch of Project Awareness Campaigns including • Conducting project awareness programmes to District judges at HCs • Project Success Case Studies • Project Films showcasing using of ICT in Judiciary • Keeping in touch with HCs on project implementation issues • Appointment of one Project Consultant at each High Court • Will work towards successful implementation at High Court Level • Reporting to E-Committee and NIC HQ and respective State Units

29. Application Software Development

30. General Issues • Site-preparation: • AC will be only for server room • Furniture will be for Server room & JSC • DG set would be procured locally • Floor of JSC should be slightly elevated • Hardware will be delivered directly at Court Complexes • General mechanism for stock entry, delivery, installation, and certification • Technical Manpower – a few will be deployed very shortly 30

31. Site-preparation cost estimates • DC will consolidate all cost-estimates under its jurisdiction and forward it to HC • HC will examine, if approved consolidate cost-estimates of DCs will forward to NIC for release of advance payment • When the site is complete DC will issue consolidated work completion certificate for all court complexes • HC will forward consolidated work completion certificates of all DCs to NIC. • In the same way HCs will also forward fund utilization certificates to NIC for settlement of accounts

32. Stock Entry – e-Courts Assets • At the time of inspection 3 copies of lists of items with sr.nos & addresses of DCs/Taluka courts will be generated • Two copies of lists will be sent to HCs • Items will be directly delivered at respective court complex • After delivery at each location judge in-charge will sign delivery challans • All delivery challans will be collected by vendor and submitted to HC • HC will cross check each delivery challan with the consolidated list and paste the same in the stock register • HC will forward only one consolidated certified delivery challan to NIC • Same procedure will be followed for installation and certification for bill clearance.

33. Thanks