On Wednesday, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking the inclusion of tribunals in the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).
The NJDG, part of the eCourts Project, is an online platform that consolidates orders, judgments, and case details from 18,735 District and Subordinate Courts across India, as well as from High Courts and the Supreme Court.
A bench consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra clarified that the eCourts Project does not extend to tribunals. They explained that incorporating tribunals into the NJDG could lead to financial complications, given that the project's funding—7,000 crores—has been specifically allocated for district courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court.
The Court advised that the petitioner should address their concerns with the Department of Justice. They noted that the NJDG is designed exclusively for the courts within the eCourts framework, and expanding it to include tribunals would divert funds intended for other judicial bodies.
Advocate Kishan Chand Jain, representing the petitioner, suggested that the Supreme Court could direct additional funding to integrate tribunals into the NJDG. However, the Court maintained that there is no administrative authorization to include tribunals in the current project. They recommended that the petitioner explore alternative legal remedies or approach the government directly.
The NJDG updates data in near real-time for all computerized district and subordinate courts, and the Supreme Court joined the platform in September 2023.
TAGS: Supreme Court NJDG tribunals eCourts Project funding district courts High Courts Supreme Court integration legal remedies.
