Here's a look at answers to Parliament Questions raised during the 2021 Monsoon Session of Parliament..A question was tabled by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor before the Lok Sabha regarding the 2021 Census..While replying to the question, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated that the upcoming census will be the first digital census and that there will be a process for self-enumeration. However, owing to the outbreak of COVID-19, Census 2021 and other Census related field activities have been postponed until further orders.The response further states that the Mobile App for collection of data and a Census Portal for management and monitoring of various Census related activities have been developed.It is also mentioned that the individual data collected in Census will not be used for preparation of any other database including National Register of Citizens. .Another question was tabled before the Lok Sabha by Kerala MP Benny Behanan on the details and number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) audited by the government from January 2021 till date..While replying to the question, Rai stated that a total of 115 associations/NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) have been audited from January 2021 till date. The response also states that a total of 108 audit reports have been completed as on August 5, 2021 and as per prescribed procedure, audit observations are shared with the respective association/NGO in due course.Behanan had also asked,"Whether the Government is investigating reports that the Government auditors have exhibited a discriminatory bias by questioning NGOs about Muslim and Dalit employees and beneficiaries and about the political allegiances of NGO staff."The response to this question reads,"No such report has been received by the Ministry of Home Affairs.".A question was tabled before the Lok Sabha by Roopa Ganguly on the adoption of eCourts.Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju responded that the number of courts digitized so far under the eCourts Mission Mode project is 18,735.The response adds that the Supreme Court of India emerged as a global leader by conducting 96,239 virtual hearings since the beginning of lockdown till July 9, 2021. The High Courts (40,43,300 hearings) and subordinate courts (74,15,989 hearings) have conducted 1.14 crore virtual hearings till June 30, 2021.The statement also mentions that video conferencing facilities have been enabled in 3,240 court complexes and corresponding 1,272 jails. Further, funds for 2,506 VC cabins and VC equipment for 14,443 courtrooms have been released and 1,500 VC licenses (VidyoConnect) have been procured to promote virtual hearings.In addition to this, 12 virtual courts in 9 states have been operationalized to handle traffic challan cases. More than 75 lakh cases have been handled by these virtual courts and online fines amounting to Rs. 160 crore have been realised till July 14, 2021..The Delhi High Court has set up 34 digital courts dealing with Negotiable Instruments Act cases.The Centre added that funds are released for setting up 235 eSewa Kendras to bridge the digital divide and facilitate e-filing and virtual hearing of cases in High Courts and district courts across the country.Seven platforms have been created for disseminating real time information on case status, cause list, judgments etc. to lawyers and litigants viz. a multilingual and disabled-friendly eCourts Portal, eCourts Mobile App and JustIS App for judges, Automated emails, 4 SMS Push and Pull Service, Judicial Service Centres and Information Kiosks.Further, National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP) has been launched for technology enabled process serving and issuing of summons.
Here's a look at answers to Parliament Questions raised during the 2021 Monsoon Session of Parliament..A question was tabled by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor before the Lok Sabha regarding the 2021 Census..While replying to the question, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated that the upcoming census will be the first digital census and that there will be a process for self-enumeration. However, owing to the outbreak of COVID-19, Census 2021 and other Census related field activities have been postponed until further orders.The response further states that the Mobile App for collection of data and a Census Portal for management and monitoring of various Census related activities have been developed.It is also mentioned that the individual data collected in Census will not be used for preparation of any other database including National Register of Citizens. .Another question was tabled before the Lok Sabha by Kerala MP Benny Behanan on the details and number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) audited by the government from January 2021 till date..While replying to the question, Rai stated that a total of 115 associations/NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) have been audited from January 2021 till date. The response also states that a total of 108 audit reports have been completed as on August 5, 2021 and as per prescribed procedure, audit observations are shared with the respective association/NGO in due course.Behanan had also asked,"Whether the Government is investigating reports that the Government auditors have exhibited a discriminatory bias by questioning NGOs about Muslim and Dalit employees and beneficiaries and about the political allegiances of NGO staff."The response to this question reads,"No such report has been received by the Ministry of Home Affairs.".A question was tabled before the Lok Sabha by Roopa Ganguly on the adoption of eCourts.Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju responded that the number of courts digitized so far under the eCourts Mission Mode project is 18,735.The response adds that the Supreme Court of India emerged as a global leader by conducting 96,239 virtual hearings since the beginning of lockdown till July 9, 2021. The High Courts (40,43,300 hearings) and subordinate courts (74,15,989 hearings) have conducted 1.14 crore virtual hearings till June 30, 2021.The statement also mentions that video conferencing facilities have been enabled in 3,240 court complexes and corresponding 1,272 jails. Further, funds for 2,506 VC cabins and VC equipment for 14,443 courtrooms have been released and 1,500 VC licenses (VidyoConnect) have been procured to promote virtual hearings.In addition to this, 12 virtual courts in 9 states have been operationalized to handle traffic challan cases. More than 75 lakh cases have been handled by these virtual courts and online fines amounting to Rs. 160 crore have been realised till July 14, 2021..The Delhi High Court has set up 34 digital courts dealing with Negotiable Instruments Act cases.The Centre added that funds are released for setting up 235 eSewa Kendras to bridge the digital divide and facilitate e-filing and virtual hearing of cases in High Courts and district courts across the country.Seven platforms have been created for disseminating real time information on case status, cause list, judgments etc. to lawyers and litigants viz. a multilingual and disabled-friendly eCourts Portal, eCourts Mobile App and JustIS App for judges, Automated emails, 4 SMS Push and Pull Service, Judicial Service Centres and Information Kiosks.Further, National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP) has been launched for technology enabled process serving and issuing of summons.
