ICT Initiatives – Gauhati High Court

Inauguration of Virtual Court For The State of Assam

The Virtual Court for the State of Assam, which is the 1st Virtual Court of the North-East India, was inaugurated on 12th November, 2020, by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, Sri Sarbananda Sonowal in August presence of Hon’ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Judge –cumChairperson, e-Committee, Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Hrishikesh Roy, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Mr. Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice (Acting), Gauhati High Court, Hon’ble Mr Justice Suman Shyam, Chairperson, ICT Committee, Gauhati High Court, alongwith all the Hon’ble Judges of the Gauhati High Court. A thought provoking and knowledgeable keynote address was presented by Hon’ble Dr. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, which was overwhelmingly applauded by the audience.

Hon’ble Mr Justice R.C. Chavan, Former Judge, Bombay High Court and Vice Chairperson, e-Committee, Supreme Court of India, Hon’ble Chief Justices and Judges of Hon’ble High Courts, Secretary, Department of Law and Justice, Government of India, Director General, National Informatics Centre, Government of India, CPCs of Hon’ble High Courts were also present in the occasion virtually. All the Districts under the Jurisdiction of the Hon’ble High Court, District Administrations and Police Officials also joined the programme virtually.

As of 1^st December 2021, 29259 cases are received by the virtual court, proceeding is completed for 28931 cases and fines amounting to Rs. 4145402.00 are collected.

Online Court Proceeding Services

The Online Court Proceeding Services was launched on 31.05.2021. Online Court Proceeding Services is a simple yet robust software platform that provides extensive functionality to manage the Court proceedings through online mode. It enables video conferencing with the help of any video conferencing tool such as Google Meet, Webex, Zoom, etc., along with availability of case files for the Hon’ble Judges and other Court staff in downloadable PDF format. This unique platform offers customised dashboard for Hon’ble Judges, Court staff and registered Learned Advocates for smooth conduct of Court proceedings in a virtual mode. With this standardized platform, all the learned Advocates having cases in the Principal Seat of the High Court can argue their cases virtually, without physically coming to the Court premises. The Online Court Proceeding Services was launched on 31.05.2021. Presently, Google Meet is integrated for video conferencing with the Online Court Proceeding Services.

Implementation of Case Information System (CIS)

CIS NC 3.0 has been upgraded to CIS NC 3.2 in all the District and Sub-divisional Courts of Assam. KIOSKs are provided in all the Court Complexes for dissemination of Case Information to the Public, Litigants and Advocates. The Data are also replicated from the Court Complexes to National Judicial Data Grid, wherein all can avail the services from www.ecourts.gov.in. Data of 30 Judicial District Courts comprising of 191 Establishments and 489 Courts are available at the NJDG. Automated SMS and email services are also made functional for information dissemination. Data from SDJM, Naharkatia, Dibrugarh; JMFC, Boko, Kamrup; Railway Court, Tinsukia and District Court Complex, West Karbi Anglong, Hamren are yet to be replicated to NJDG due to lack of Internet connectivity.

For the State of Nagaland, data of the four Judicial District Courts comprising of 15 Establishments and 12 Courts are available at the NJDG.

For the State of Mizoram, data of the two Judicial District Courts comprising of 15 Establishments and 39 Courts are available at the NJDG.

Replication of Data to National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)

CIS NC 1.0 is implemented in the High Court, Principal Seat. The Data are also replicated to National Judicial Data Grid, so as to enable the Public, Litigants and Advocates to avail the services from www.ecourts.gov.in. KIOSKs are provided in the Court premises for dissemination of case information to the Public, Litigants and Advocates. Periphery modules viz. consolidated cause-list, various reports, case tracker, etc. developed by the Gauhati High Court are also integrated with the

CIS NIC 1.0 for usage. CIS NC 1.0 is also implemented at the Kohima Bench, Aizawl Bench and Itanagar Bench of Gauhati High Court. Data of Kohima Bench, Aizawl Bench and Itanagar Bench are also available at NJDG.

Digitization of Case Records

Digitization of Case Records of Gauhati High Court, Principal Seat and 30 District Courts of Assam is already in progress. Government of Assam has sanctioned the requisite amount in regular budget for digitization of Case Records for the High Court, Principal seat and under the grants of 14th Finance Commission for the District Courts. Till 31stJanuary, 2022, 29297965 images (439382 files) have been scanned for High Court, Principal Seat, and 152484020 images (1670399 files) have been scanned for the 30 District Courts.

Video Conferencing between District Courts and Jails

Video Conferencing between District Courts and Jails have started in the State of Assam. Courts are encouraging the Jail Authorities to avail the benefits of Video Conferencing. The hardware made available under the e-Courts Project. All the 31 Jails of Assam are connected to the District Courts via the Assam Judicial Network.

Installation of Solar Energy Panels under e-Courts Project

Solar energy panels have been installed in 63 (sixty three) District Courts of Assam. These solar energy panels will help in backing up the network/server rooms. Installation of Solar energy panels is also going on in some Court Complexes of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The works are being carried out under the phase-II of the eCourts Project.

National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP)

NSTEP has been implemented in Assam. All the process servers are provided with mobile handset for NSTEP. Till date, 33,683 processes have been consumed and allocated except for the districts of Dima Hasao and Hojai. A total of 4667 processes have been served in the Districts of Assam except for Barpeta, Charaideo and Hojai.

Implementation of e-Sewa Kendras

e-Sewa Kendras have been established and functioning in Assam and as of 30.11.2021, twenty (20) e-Sewa Kendras have been functioning in temporary mode in the District Courts of Assam and two (2) in the state of Mizoram.

Installation of Justice Clock

Justice Clock has been installed and functioning in the premises of the Gauhati High Court since 2019, where awareness on eCourts project and real time information regarding matters of the e-Courts are being displayed which has helped immensely in transparency in access to information.

Source : e-Committee, Supreme Court of India