National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)

IN NEWS:

• Recently, the Supreme Court has integrated its case data on the National Judicial Data Grid(NJDG) and now we have all three tiers of Indian judiciary on NJDG portal.

ABOUT:

• NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending and disposed of by the courts across the country.
• This online platform, developed as part of Phase II of the e-Courts project, serves as a comprehensive database comprising information on orders, judgments, and case details from 18,735 District and subordinate Courts as well as High Courts.

KEY FEATURES:

• Comprehensive Data Coverage:
  • It covers both civil and criminal cases, allowing in-depth analysis by parameters like case age, state, and district.
  • Integration with Land Records data from 26 states enhances its usefulness in tracking land disputes.
• User-Friendly Access for Litigants:
  • The NJDG provides an interface for litigants to access case status information for over 23.58 crore cases and 22.56 crore orders/judgments.
  • It offers SMS and email alerts to keep litigants updated on their case progress.
• API Integration for Government Entities:
  • The NJDG features an Open Application Programming Interface (API), ensuring accessibility for government entities with authorized credentials.
  • The commitment to expanding this access reflects the mission of democratizing access to legal information.

IMPORTANCE OF NJDC

• Increased Transparency:
  • The NJDG provides the public with access to real-time information on cases, hearings, and judgments. Citizens and litigants can check the status of their cases online, which reduces opacity in the legal process and enhances public trust in the judiciary.
• Accountability and Responsibility:
  • By digitizing case records and assigning unique case numbers, the NJDG ensures that each case is tracked and accounted for. This system holds judges and court staff accountable for the timely processing of cases, as delays are easily identifiable and can be addressed.
• Reducing Pendency:
  • Recently, ‘reasons for delay’ have been included in NJDG. The inclusion of feature specifying the reasons for delay on the NJDG portal has the potential to keep a proper track on issues which the judiciary faces while adjudicating cases and consequently enables them and the decision makers to take various steps in the direction of redressing the burgeoning pendency of cases.
• Increased Coordination:
  • The NJDG is a unified platform that connects various levels of the judiciary, from district courts to high courts. This fosters better communication and coordination between different courts, ensuring that cases are transferred smoothly when needed, leading to quicker resolutions.
• Informed Decision Making:
  • The NJDG provides judges with access to detailed case histories and previous judgments. When making decisions, judges can refer to similar cases and their outcomes, leading to more consistent and informed judgments.
• Optimum Deployment of Resources and Manpower:
  • The NJDG allows for data-driven resource allocation. Courts can assess which types of cases are more time-consuming or have higher caseloads and allocate resources accordingly. This helps courts manage their workload efficiently.
• Single Source of Data:
  • The NJDG centralizes case-related data from various courts. Instead of each court maintaining its separate records, all relevant data is stored in one place. This reduces data redundancy and ensures consistency and accuracy.