SRINAGAR: More than 3.79 lakh cases are pending in various courts, including the High Court, across the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The utilisation of funds sanctioned under Phase III of the e-Courts Project has also fallen short of expectations. This was disclosed by Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, in response to a question in the Lok Sabha on case backlogs in the States and Union Territories on December 6, 2024.
Citing data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as of November 30, 2024, the Minister stated that 3,32,802 cases are pending in the District and Subordinate Courts of Jammu and Kashmir, while 1,456 cases remain unresolved in Ladakh. Additionally, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is dealing with a backlog of 45,464 cases.
Responding to concerns about the slow disposal of cases, the Minister said, “The disposal of pending cases in a time-bound manner lies exclusively within the judiciary’s domain. However, the Government remains committed to creating an ecosystem that facilitates the expeditious disposal of cases by the judiciary, in line with the mandate of Article 21 of the Constitution.”
To address these issues, the Government launched the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms in 2011, aiming to enhance accessibility by reducing delays and arrears and to strengthen accountability through structural reforms and performance benchmarks. The Mission employs a coordinated approach for gradually eliminating arrears and pendency in judicial administration. This includes upgrading court infrastructure, increasing the strength of the subordinate judiciary, re-engineering court procedures for swifter case disposal, and prioritising human resource development.
Regarding the e-Courts Project, the Minister reported that Rs 18.98 crore was allocated and almost fully utilised during Phase II of the project in Jammu and Kashmir. Under Phase III, Rs 15.37 crore was sanctioned for the financial year 2023–24, of which Rs 6.52 crore has been utilised. However, for the current financial year (2024–25), Rs 6.17 crore was released, but none of it has been utilised so far.
The e-Courts Mission Mode Project, aimed at integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into the judiciary, is implemented in coordination with the Supreme Court’s e-Committee and respective High Courts. Phase I (2011–15) focused on basic computerisation, such as providing hardware and internet connectivity. Phase II (2015–23) introduced ICT initiatives for District and Subordinate Courts and launched citizen-centric features. Phase III, approved in September 2023 with an outlay of Rs 7,210 crore, aims to establish digital and paperless courts, digitise records, expand video conferencing, and incorporate emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence to analyse case backlogs and predict future litigation trends.
The Minister also highlighted the performance of Fast Track Special Courts in Jammu and Kashmir. Since their establishment, four such courts in the region have disposed of 242 cases as of October 31, 2024.
