MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI SALMAN KHURSHID)
(a) As per the information received from the Supreme
Court, of 57179 total filed matters as on 30.6.11, if
connected matters are excluded, the number is only 33538
matters. Out of these 57179 matters as on 30.6.11, 20253
matters are current filings less than one year old and thus
arrears (i.e. cases pending more than a year) are only 36926
matters as on 30.6.11. The total number of cases in the High
Courts and the Subordinate judiciary were 42,17,903 and
2,79,53,070 respectively as on 30.9.2010.
(b): Yes, Madam. The Government has launched the
following special initiatives to reduce pendency of cases in
courts:
(i) Government has requested all the Chief Justices of High
Courts to launch a campaign for pendency reduction in
courts from July-December, 2011.
(ii) The Government has approved setting up of `National
Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms`. The major
goals are :
# Increasing access by reducing delays and arrears in the
system.
# Enhancing accountability through structural changes
and by setting performance standards and capacities
National Arrears Grid will be established under e-courts project
when completed.The grid is not meant for
immediate disposal of court cases but for monitoring arrears
and judicial data.
(c) to (f): A number of other measures are also being undertaken
by the Government for disposing of the cases pending in the courts.
Budget provision for the purpose has also been considerably enhanced.
The details are given below:
I. A Mission Mode approach to infrastructure development
of subordinate judiciary is among the major initiatives under
the National Mission for Justice Delivery which is approved
by the Government .Inadequacy of infrastructure in
subordinate courts has been one of the bottlenecks in the
speedy delivery of justice. Keeping this in mind in the
financial year 2011-12, the allocation for the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme for infrastructure development has been
increased fivefold from ?100 Crore to ?500 Crore Funding
pattern has also been increased from 50:50 to 75:25 for the
non-special States and it is to continue on 90:10 basis for
the NE States.
II. The Government has accepted the recommendations of
the Thirteenth Finance Commission to provide a grant of
5000 Crore to the States for improving the justice delivery
system in the country over a five year period 2010-15. A
grant of ? 1000 Crore has already been released to the
States during the year 2010-11. With the help of these
grants,the States can, inter-alia, set up morning / evening /
shift/special magistrates` courts, appoint court managers,
establish ADR centres and provide training to mediators /
conciliators,organise more Lok Adalats to reduced
pendencies. The grants also provide for training of judicial
officers, strengthening of State Judicial Academies, training
of public prosecutors and maintenance of heritage court
buildings.
III. In order to computerise the justice delivery system
Government is implementing e-Courts Project for the
District and Subordinate Courts in the country and up
gradation of ICT infrastructure in superior courts at an
estimated cost of 935 crore. The target is to computerize
12000 Courts by 31st March, 2012 and 14249 Courts by 315t
March, 2014.
IV.Enactment of the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 which
provides for establishment of Gram Nyayalayas to improve
access to justice to marginalised. The current year allocation
has been increased from ? 40 Crore to ? 150 Crore
