Only 1282 lawyers register for e-filing cases during lockdown

NEW DELHI: Despite the government having spent more than Rs 4,000 crore in modernising courts and providing latest case management system in the past few years, only 1,282 advocates have registered for e-filing of petitions during lockdown, out of which 543 registered only last week.
Some of the advocates and bar councils have already opposed virtual courts citing lack of training and availability of high-speed broadband among issues hindering lawyers to adopt modern technologies.
Attorney General K K Venugopal has told law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday that uncertainty in resuming normal court proceedings due to the Covid pandemic has made it necessary for the government to strengthen eCourts system by addressing connectivity issues and training lawyers in eCourt management.
In a virtual meeting held by the law minister on Sunday with senior law offices, including the Solicitor General and Additional Solicitors General, Prasad assured Venugopal of making the digital system more robust in justice delivery. The law minister also asked the Secretary in the Justice Department to coordinate with the NIC and e-committee of the apex court to resolve the connectivity and other issues.
The law officers emphasised that “in view of the seriousness of the pandemic, court proceedings through video conferencing may remain a norm for some time to come”.
The Narendra Modi government has spent more than Rs 4,000 crore in last six years on computerisation of courts and equipping judges and courts with all modern equipment, including laptops, computers and connecting the courtrooms with high-speed broadband system.
During the phase-II of the eCourts project government launched e-filing, e-payment, push mail services and installed common service centres in court premises to help litigants and lawyers to move on to the online case filing system. Facilities of video conferencing have been made available at district and subordinate courts besides all the high courts and the Supreme Court.
As part of the eCourt system, the government has already been providing push SMS and automatic e-mail facilities to all litigants and lawyers in all district and subordinate courts through its Case Information System (CIS). “Litigants and advocates can register their mobile numbers and email ID with CIS and can get updates of their cases,” a law ministry official said.