What happened: e-Courts Mission expansion for faster, trackable, digitised justice
The Government of India is expanding the e-Courts Mission Mode Project to shift India’s judiciary from paper-based processes to a technology-enabled system with online filing, digital records, remote hearings, and case tracking. PIB states that from 2014 onward, case filings and disposals have nearly tripled, with courts disposing more cases than are filed each year. The mission reports large-scale digitisation of court records and increased citizen-facing access through e-Sewa Kendras, e-filing, and video conferencing-based virtual courts.
Background and earlier position: why court digitisation was needed
Before large-scale digital interventions, courts relied heavily on paper records and physical visits. Citizens often faced high travel and documentation costs by having to attend court facilities in person for filings and supporting documents. This process made justice delivery slow, cumbersome, and expensive for people and increased operational burden for courts and legal stakeholders. The Government launched the e-Courts Mission Mode Project in 2007 to systematically speed up proceedings through digitising court proceedings and documents and to make the judicial process more affordable, accessible, and transparent.
What changed now: Phase I, Phase II building blocks, and Phase III direction
PIB describes the mission as operating in phases. Phase I (2011–2015) laid the foundation by computerising over 14,000 courts and building basic network infrastructure. Phase II (2015–2023) scaled citizen-centric services, including the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), e-filing, and e-Sewa Kendras. Phase II also expanded video conferencing infrastructure more than fivefold. The mission is now in Phase III (2023–2027), which aims for digital, paperless, and “more intelligent” courts using large-scale digitisation, wider virtual hearings, deeper interoperability across justice institutions, and adoption of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), analytics, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) (OCR converts scanned text into searchable text).
Related current affairs
- Odisha: Digitisation of Courts under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project (Phase III)
- Government Accelerates Digital Transformation of Judiciary Under eCourts Phase III to Reduce Case Pendency
- Status of e-Sewa Kendras under eCourts Mission Mode Project (as on 30.06.2026)
- Expansion of judicial digital infrastructure (eCourts Mission Mode Project) – funding to High Courts of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh
- Budget 2026 allocates ₹810 crore for judicial infrastructure and ₹1,200 crore for eCourts Project Phase-III
- Government expands digital justice and legal aid infrastructure in Odisha via eCourts, Tele-Law, NALSA and Gram Nyayalayas (with budget and district-wise status)