Monday, December 12 2005 17:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Centre has earmarked Rs 200 crore for modernisation and computerisation of the country's judiciary, Union Communications and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran said.

He was presiding over a function at which the Madras High Court post office was inaugurated here today (Dec 12, 2005).

Recalling a meeting he had with former Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti, prior to his retirement, Maran said on Justice Lahoti's request an e-committee was formed for the purpose of computerising the judiciary.

Earlier in a special address after inaugurating the Post Office, the Madras High Court Chief Justice A P Shah said the concept of paperless courts will commence in the Madras High Court from mid-next year when the court starts receiving cases through e-mail.

'E-filing' will start from June. Initially it will be accepted only for 'cheque bounce cases', he said.

Pointing out that the President had emphasised the need for e-judicial system to reduce the misery of litigants, Justice Shah said the process of computerisation of the High Court was in a nascent stage while the number of computers at the court 'is totally inadequate.

The computers installed in subordinate courts in Tamil Nadu 10 years ago were also outdated. It was also proposed to have a public interface system installed in kiosks in the court premises, integrated through a network, where litigants could find out the status of cases.

An interactive voice system is also proposed to be installed for the benefit of litigants. "A unique four digit number will be allocated for it," he added.

Referring to a demand by the Madras High Court Advocates' Association for establishing an automatic electronic display system, Justice Shah said he would prefer it to be a scrolling type so that not only the status of cases could be known but also that of court adjournments, admissions and disposals.

Justice Shah said that in a few months, the High Court would start classification of cases and accord each type with a separate code.

He said digital archives, which would ensure quicker retrieval of documents and reduce storage space, was the need of the hour. It would cost about Rs eight crore.

He lamented that the High Court and its Madurai Bench were receiving only a meagre grant from the Centre for computerisation as compared to that received by the Mumbai High Court.

Referring to a representation given by the MHAA for installing a display system in the Court, Maran said his ministry hoped to have the system in place before March 2006.

The National Informatics Centre was taking it up at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore.

On another representation from the association pointing out that BSNL signal for cellular phones in the court complex was very weak, he said steps were already afoot to put up 'towers and other equipment to eliminate the problem.'

Additional Solicitor General V T Gopalan offered his felicitations on the occasion.