The Supreme Court of India, on Wednesday, chose not to proceed with a petition that sought to integrate tribunals into the e-courts project, an initiative designed to enhance the digital infrastructure of the judiciary throughout the country. The public interest litigation had proposed that quasi-judicial bodies, such as the Armed Forces Tribunal and the National Green Tribunal, be incorporated into the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).
The NJDG, which is an integral part of the e-courts project, serves as a national repository for data on cases that are filed, pending, and resolved across various courts in India. This project is overseen and financed by the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry and primarily focuses on the computerization of the judiciary.
During the proceedings, the Chief Justice of India pointed out that the scope of the NJDG within the e-courts project is limited to district courts, high courts, and the Supreme Court, explicitly excluding tribunals. The bench stressed that the NJDG’s framework does not encompass tribunals, which have not been administratively sanctioned under the e-courts project.
The court noted, “Rs 7,000 crore was allocated specifically for the courts and not for the tribunals. If we were to include tribunals, then those funds would also need to cover tribunal-related expenditures.” This clarification highlights the financial and administrative complexities involved in expanding the e-courts project beyond its current scope.
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The Supreme Court ultimately advised the petitioner to seek other legal remedies or approach the central government directly concerning the computerization of tribunals. While the plea to include tribunals under the NJDG was denied, the bench did allow the petitioner the option to petition the central government to consider the digital upgrade of tribunal systems separately.
