Punjab & Haryana HC launches Pilot Project for Digitization of Judicial Records in Subordinate Courts

With a view to cut down on the space used up by voluminous judicial records, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has launched a project to digitize judicial records in subordinate courts. The digitization project was launched by Chief Justice Krishna Murari through video conferencing on Friday, for subordinate courts in 11 pilot sites..Files of pending cases, as well as disposed of cases in which the weeding process has been completed, will be covered in the process of scanning and digitization. As per the press release by the High Court, the weeding process has been going on in all subordinate courts for about two years so that the scanning process could be fast-tracked..The new digitization initiative is intended to ensure the easy retrieval and preservation/archival of case records in digitized/ soft form. Area measuring about 4 lakh square feet, currently housing judicial records is expected to be reclaimed. Thereby, the manpower engaged for handling files would also be saved..All subordinate courts have already been provided digital signatures. Presently digitally signed judgments and orders are being uploaded on National Judicial Data Grid on daily basis. The latest measure to digitize judicial records of the subordinate courts will also pave way for the availability of e-services like e-Copy, e-Inspection, e-Diary etc. in the subordinate courts, on par with such services presently available for High Court records..The project is covered under Phase II of the eCourts Project of Supreme Court, with the provision of financial support under 14th Finance Commission set up by Government. Funds to the tune of Rs 25 crores and Rs 24 crores have been allocated for the States of Punjab and Haryana, respectively. .The project has been launched in the following 11 sessions divisions, which were shortlisted by the High Court’s Computer Committee under the Chairmanship of Justice Rajesh Bindal i.e. Ambala, Rohtak, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Hissar, Kaithal and Faridabad in the State of Haryana; Rupnagar, Patiala, SBS Nagar in the State of Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh..This digitization project is the latest in a series of IT initiatives launched by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to ease access to court for both lawyers and litigants..To this end, it has also facilitated the provision of dedicated website link of the Indian Judiciary on the Canadian embassy website for NRIs..Other measures launched earlier this year include e-Payment for High Court Services, an Android-based Mobile Application, Online Grievance and Feedback System, Surety Information Management System, Infrastructure Web Application, Crystal Reports Software and e-Notices module. Since the introduction of a visitors counter on the High Court website last January, about 3.96 crore visitors have accessed the High Court website with a daily average of about 1.47 lakh visitors.In an environmental friendly move, the High Court had also taken measures to cut down on the use of paper including the introduction of new printing parameters..Read the Press Release: