12 March 2026·PIB

Over 660.36 crore pages of court records have been digitized

In this note

1. At a Glance

Headline achievement under e-Courts Mission Mode Project (MMP) Phase-III, implemented by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice [1].
Marks digitisation of 660.36 crore pages of court records plus rollout of 2,444 eSewaKendras and Case Information System (CIS) v4.0 as ICT backbone of subordinate judiciary [1][2].
Relevant for UPSC under judicial reforms, e-governance, and access-to-justice themes.

PIB release (12 March 2026) by Ministry of Law & Justice flagged cumulative progress: 660.36 crore pages digitised, 2,444 eSewaKendras operational, CIS upgraded to v4.0 with greater objectivity, transparency and speed [1].

e-Courts MMP originates from the National Policy and Action Plan for ICT in Indian Judiciary (2005), drafted by the e-Committee of the Supreme Court [2].
Phase-I (2011-15): basic computerisation of district courts [2].
Phase-II (2015-23): CIS 2.0/3.0, NJDG, eFiling, virtual courts, video-conferencing [2].
Phase-III approved by Union Cabinet on 13 September 2023 as a Central Sector Scheme, four-year duration, outlay ₹7,210 crore [3].

Implementing ministry: Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice [1].
Monitoring body: e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India in partnership with MeitY-linked agencies [2].
Phase-III outlay: ₹7,210 crore (Central Sector Scheme, 2023 onwards) [3].
Pages digitised: 660.36 crore (legacy + current records) [1].
eSewaKendras: 2,444 (citizen-facing facilitation kiosks for litigants without digital access) [1].
CIS: Upgraded to version 4.0, integrated with NJDG, eFiling, Virtual Courts, ICJS [1][2].
NJDG: hosts >27.64 crore orders/judgments from computerised district & subordinate courts [3].
Video conferencing (as of 31 Oct 2024): District/subordinate courts heard 2,48,21,789 cases; High Courts 90,21,629; total ~3.38 crore [3].
Constitutional anchor: Article 21 (access to justice), Article 39A (equal justice & free legal aid), Article 50 (separation of judiciary from executive).

Administrative: Phase-III shifts focus from computerisation to digital, paperless, online courts; pursues universalisation of eFiling/ePayments [3].
Legal/Constitutional: Operationalises Article 39A; supports Section 65B Evidence Act electronic records regime and BNSS, 2023 provisions for digital trial/electronic summons.
Technological: Integration via Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) linking police, prisons, forensics, prosecution, courts; CIS 4.0 adds privacy safeguards [1].
Social/Access: eSewaKendras bridge the digital divide for rural litigants and lawyers without ICT skills [1].
Ethical/Governance: Enhances transparency through NJDG public dashboards; aids pendency monitoring of the ~5+ crore case backlog.

12 March 2026: PIB statement on 660.36 crore pages, 2,444 eSewaKendras, CIS 4.0 [1].
17 December 2024: Department of Justice status note on Phase-III progress [2].
31 October 2024 cumulative: 3.38 crore cases heard via VC across HCs and subordinate courts [3].

e-Courts MMP is monitored by the e-Committee of the Supreme Court, not MeitY [2].
Phase-III is a Central Sector Scheme (100% Union funded), not Centrally Sponsored [3].
Phase-III outlay: ₹7,210 crore for four years [3].
Cabinet approval date for Phase-III: 13 September 2023 [3].
NJDG = National Judicial Data Grid, public online database of orders/judgments [3].
CIS = Case Information System; current version 4.0 [1].
ICJS integrates police, forensics, prosecution, courts, prisons (the "5 pillars") [2].
eSewaKendras count: 2,444 [1].
Pages digitised: 660.36 crore [1].
National Policy & Action Plan for ICT in Indian Judiciary: 2005 [2].
Parent ministry: Ministry of Law & Justice (Department of Justice) [1].

GS-II: Governance — e-Governance applications; Judiciary — structure, organisation, functioning; welfare of vulnerable sections (access to justice).
GS-III: Awareness in IT and digital infrastructure.
Possible stems:
"Evaluate how the e-Courts Mission Mode Project Phase-III advances the constitutional mandate of Article 39A."
"ICT integration alone cannot reduce judicial pendency. Discuss in light of the e-Courts Project."
"Examine the role of NJDG and ICJS in achieving transparent and integrated criminal justice administration."

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) — public dashboard for pendency.
Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) — 5-pillar integration.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — digital trial/summons provisions.
Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 — rural access to justice.
Tele-Law / Nyaya Bandhu / NALSA — legal aid ecosystem.
Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) scheme.
Article 39A & 21 — directive principle and right to speedy trial jurisprudence (Hussainara Khatoon).
DigiLocker & MeitY Digital India — horizontal e-governance linkages.

Confusing Centrally Sponsored (cost-sharing for judicial infrastructure scheme) with Central Sector (Phase-III itself) [3].
Attributing e-Courts MMP to MeitY; it is Department of Justice + SC e-Committee [2].
Mixing CIS (court management software) with NJDG (data grid).
Assuming Phase-III began with cabinet approval in 2022; actual approval 13 Sep 2023 [3].
Treating eSewaKendras as court-fee payment counters only — they also assist eFiling, case status, certified copies [1].