Govt Sets ₹7,210 Cr Budget for eCourts Phase III, Focuses On AI Integration
Govt Sets ₹7,210 Cr Budget for eCourts Phase III, Focuses on AI Integration
Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Law & Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, recently shared in Parliament that the government is exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a "smart" judicial system. The initiative aims to streamline operations by minimizing manual data entry and file scrutiny, ultimately enhancing user experience.
Technologies like Machine Learning (ML), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) are being leveraged in various areas, such as intelligent scheduling, prediction and forecasting, administrative efficiency, and automated filing. AI is also expected to improve the case information system, enable chatbots for communication with litigants, and assist in translation tasks.
To address privacy and data protection concerns, the government has formed a sub- committee of six High Court judges, supported by a group of technical experts. This panel, appointed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, will evaluate the digital infrastructure and network solutions under the eCourts project. Its mission is to recommend secure connectivity and authentication mechanisms that safeguard data and protect citizens' privacy.
The government has allocated a substantial ₹7,210 crores for eCourts Phase III, which includes 24 project components. A dedicated component titled "Future Technological Advancement" will focus on integrating AI, blockchain, and other emerging technologies.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase III allocates ₹53.57 crores for this component until 2027.
This response came in reply to a question raised by Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain in the Rajya Sabha, seeking clarity on the government's efforts to use AI for case management, ensuring data privacy, and addressing judicial backlogs. At the time, it was also revealed that 5.19 crores cases are pending before courts across the country.
