PCS Guru

What’s Making Headlines?

The Supreme Court has recently taken a significant step by integrating its case data into the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG). This integration is in line with the ‘Open Data Policy (ODP)’ aimed at providing transparent case information to the public. The ODP is a set of policies gaining traction, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and value creation by making government data accessible to all.

Exploring the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG):

Overview

• The NJDG portal serves as a national repository of data related to cases initiated, pending, and resolved by courts across the country.
• It functions as a comprehensive database containing orders, judgments, and case particulars from 18,735 District and subordinate Courts and High Courts. This platform is a product of the e-Courts Project.
• What sets it apart is its real-time data updates, offering detailed information down to the Taluka level.
• This initiative was established during Phase II of the e-Courts project, which is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• As it stands, litigants can access case status details for a staggering 23.81 crore cases and over 23.02 crore orders/judgments.

Developed by

• The NJDG platform has been meticulously developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), working closely with the in-house software development team of the Supreme Court’s Computer Cell.
• It boasts an interactive interface and an analytics dashboard.

Significance:

• NJDG plays a crucial role as a monitoring tool to identify, manage, and reduce the backlog of cases within the judicial system.
• It aids in pinpointing specific bottlenecks in the judicial processes. For instance, if there’s a sudden surge in land disputes in a particular state, NJDG helps policymakers assess whether the existing laws require reinforcement.
• Additionally, NJDG provides valuable insights into specific areas of law. For instance, it tracks cases related to land disputes by linking Land Records data from 26 States with the platform.

Current Status of Pending Cases:

• As of 2023, the Supreme Court has a total of 64,854 pending registered cases.
• In August 2023 alone, the Supreme Court saw 5,412 new cases filed, with 5,033 cases disposed of.
• Among the pending cases, there are 583 three-judge Bench matters, 288 five-judge Bench cases, 21 seven-judge Bench cases, and 135 nine-judge Bench cases, all falling under the civil category.

This integration of the Supreme Court’s case data into NJDG marks a significant stride towards transparency and accessibility in the Indian judicial system, allowing the public to stay informed about ongoing legal proceedings.