At the two-day National Conference on Judicial Process Re-engineering and Digital Transformation held in New Delhi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant formally launched Phase III of the e-Courts Mission Mode Project with a total outlay of ₹7,210 crore. Describing technology as "a constitutional instrument" that strengthens equality before the law, the CJI said Phase III is not about expanding technology in courts but about reimagining how the justice system functions at its core. The project is conceptualised by the e-Committee of the Supreme Court and supported by the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India. Unlike earlier phases that focused on infrastructure such as computerising district courts and high courts, Phase III aims at a unified technology platform and a seamless paperless interface between courts, litigants and other stakeholders. Key components include a Single Sign-On (SSO) system for unified access to judicial platforms, electronic delivery of court documents and summons via email, integration between e-Courts and e-Prisons systems, expansion of eSewa Kendras to help digitally illiterate litigants, and a new version (4.0) of the e-Courts Services mobile app. The project will harness Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to automate case tracking, records digitisation and translation services. CJI Surya Kant also announced a new Supreme Court AI Committee and a rejuvenated research centre to help clear case backlogs, and committed to bridging the last-mile digital divide so that court services become available to citizens irrespective of geography or economic status.
CJI Surya Kant Launches ₹7,210 Crore e-Courts Phase III Project at National Conference on Judicial Digital Transformation
CJI Surya Kant launched Phase III of the e-Courts project with an outlay of ₹7,210 crore at a National Conference on Judicial Digital Transformation in New Delhi, focusing on AI, NLP, OCR, Single Sign-On, e-Courts and e-Prisons integration, and a unified paperless platform to make justice delivery seamless, inclusive and accessible.
Key facts
- CJI Surya Kant launched Phase III of the e-Courts project at National Conference on Judicial Digital Transformation in New Delhi
- Total outlay of the Phase III project is ₹7,210 crore
- Phase III shifts focus from infrastructure to unified technology platform and paperless courts
- Key components include Single Sign-On, e-delivery of summons, e-Courts-e-Prisons integration and e-Courts Services App v4.0
- Project leverages Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, OCR and Natural Language Processing
- CJI announced a new Supreme Court AI Committee and rejuvenated research centre to clear case backlog
PYQPrelims/PYQ angle
- RAS 2023 Forms and methods of judicial control in India — The PYQ on judicial control forms connects to e-Courts Phase III's technology-enabled re-engineering of judicial processes and access.
Mains angle
Q: Evaluate the reforms envisaged under key e-Courts Phase III initiatives launched at the conference inaugurated by CJI Surya Kant for re-engineering judicial processes.
Answer (50 words):
CJI Surya Kant launched e-Courts Phase III with a ₹7,210 crore outlay at New Delhi's National Conference on Judicial Digital Transformation. Phase III envisages a unified paperless platform, Single Sign-On access, e-Courts–e-Prisons integration, expanded eSewa Kendras, app version 4.0, plus Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, OCR and NLP across the judiciary.
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Consider the following statements about the e-Courts Phase III project: 1. The project itself was first launched in April 2026 by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in New Delhi. 2. Its total outlay is Rs. 7,210 crore. 3. It is implemented in partnership with the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. Which of the above statements are correct?
Statements 2 and 3 are correct; statement 1 is incorrect. PIB records that the Union Cabinet approved e-Courts Phase III as a Central Sector Scheme spanning four years from 2023 onwards with a financial outlay of Rs. 7,210 crore. The scheme is implemented in partnership with the Department of Justice and the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India, so a later event cannot be treated as the project's original launch.
Source: LiveLaw / Department of Justice
Frequently asked questions
What is the total outlay of the e-Courts Phase III project launched in April 2026?
The Phase III project has a total outlay of ₹7,210 crore, conceptualised by the Supreme Court e-Committee and supported by the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
How is e-Courts Phase III different from the earlier phases?
While Phase I and II focused on computerising district and high courts and building digital infrastructure, Phase III aims at a unified technology platform and a paperless, seamless interface between courts, litigants and stakeholders, using AI, ML, OCR and NLP.
What technologies will Phase III use?
Phase III will use Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and predictive analytics for case tracking, translation, records digitisation and administrative automation.
Who launched e-Courts Phase III?
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated the conference at which key e-Courts Phase III initiatives were launched of the two-day National Conference on Judicial Process Re-engineering and Digital Transformation in New Delhi in April 2026.
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