THE INFORMATION SYSTEM  APPLICATION FOR MAHARASHTRA JUDICIARY

Executive Summary: 

                           Indian Judiciary, has played a major role in the recent past for nation Building and also contributed in mobilizing the society to deliver its best to the Nation.  In the past few years Litigations have risen in  large number and it has become exceedingly difficult to manage it manually.  A thought to provide ICT based Judicial Services to the Citizen and Advocates/Lawyers like any other ICT service has gained momentum in mid 2002.  It was decided by Judiciary of Maharashtra State to design a new system, which will cater all the needs of Judicial administration.  It was decided  to promote the use of open source technology.  Accordingly  Case Information system was developed on complete open source technology platform of LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) resulting in saving of huge money.  The system is operational at District Court Pune,  Maharashtra State and horizontal replication in other courts has also started.  Benefits to the society, Litigants, Lawyers and Judicial Administration are mentioned in the Project Description. 

Project Description:  

Introduction: 

                   Indian Judiciary, has played a major role in the recent past for Nation building and also contributed in mobilizing the society to deliver its best to the

Nation.  I t  indeed has become essential to provide the Judicial Services to common

Man deprived of the benefit he is supposed to get.  As on date Litigations have risen

In large numbers and it has become extremely difficult to manage it manually.  A thought to provide ICT based Judicial Service to the Citizen and Advocates/Lawyers had become need of the hour.  It was decided to use new technology at marginal cost to achieve the final goal of catalyzing the judicial service to be provided to common man and at the same time concentrate on the internal Judicial Administration to monitor closely the issue of growing pendency. 

                   Computerization in the Judiciary of Maharashtra State was taken up in early 1997 Linux 2.0.30 and ‘C’ Language.  The software catered to certain needs of Judiciary but due to limitations of technology available then it could not be enlarged.  Keeping in view the growing needs of the Judiciary it was necessary to migrate from legacy system to new full featured system. 

                   It was decided to complete the computerization in all the Courts of Maharashtra and subsequently National Information Centre  was entrusted to Understand the Requirements, Design, Develop and Implement the Software on the pilot basis at District & Sessions Court Pune. 

                   The main technical factor was to use open source technology to develop and implement the application.  LAMP (Linux-OS, Apache-Web Server, MySQL-RDBMS, PHP – Scripting Language)  was finalized after assessment of several other open source software.  The software scalability and adoptability has tempted

its development to be web  based.  The development  commenced keeping in view the Quality Assurance requirements and complete QA process was adopted while designing and developing the application.  Reports are generated in PDF formats,

the binaries for generating the same is also provided on open source platform.  QA process has considerably reduced the time required to test the application once it was ready.  Certain constraints in MySQl were removed by incorporating the counter solutions or remedies in the application. 

                   In some of the courts of Maharashtra since the legacy application (Terminal based DCIS developed in ‘C’)  was in place, and most of the data pertaining to the new requirements was available it was necessary to ensure that the data be transferred from legacy system to the new system.  Separate application for seamless migration is also developed and made available as a part of the case information system (CIS). 

Implementation    :-    

                        The application is implemented in District Court Pune.  Data is already ported from legacy system to new system.  Almost 26,500 cases (records) with 4,05,000 proceedings (records) is converted from the legacy system to the new system.  Training for system administration was imparted to 2 users from the district court who are responsible for handling the system administration part.  Software usage training is imparted to  50 employees and they are now put on the job.  The use of application has started and input of the cases through Filing Counter is established and the setup is made operational.  PCs are installed in the courtrooms and the bench clerk carries out live entry of proceedings.  Data is now updated in real time.  Touch Screen Kiosk is installed in the court premises for Lawyers and Litigants.  The application has become completely operational from 1^st

September 2003 in the District Court Pune.  New modules for Case related accounting and Copying or Record Room Computerization is put to use from this month. 

          The example below shows how CIS assists the copying branch.

          When a copy is requested by an Advocate or Litigant in the copying by manual procedure the location of the case ( In which court the case is pending) is first searched from the available registers and the request is then forwarded to the respective court.  Approximately 50 such requests are received daily in the copying Section. 

          CIS software provides the auto search facility.  Once the application is entered, in the background, a mail alert (the database e-mail system provided in the application)  is generated to the respective court holding  the case proceedings requesting to fulfill the needs of the applicant.  The action is instant and saves a lot of human time and efforts required to fulfill the applicants request. 

Most Economic Model : 

          The application is completely on Open Source Platform, Currently 1 Server and 63 Clients are in place. Every Court Room is provided with 1 Client and 1 Printer.  On the Filing Counter 4 Clients are installed.  Some Clients are Installed in the respective sections.  Touch Screen Kiosk is also provided. 

          Approximately Rs. 18.75 Lakhs exchequers money is saved because of the use of open source technology.  In proprietary for every upgrade some amount is required to be paid while in the open source.  User is relieved from Paying such amount for the upgrades. 

          Replication in other Courts. 

          The Case Information System is widely accepted by Maharashtra Judiciary.  The use of CIS is now extended to the Lower Courts ( 36 in Number) for which Hardware installation is in process  1.5 Lakh Cases are pending in the Lower Courts and Legacy data Entry is in progress. 

          Case Information System is made operational in the Small Causes Court Mumbai from 1st  December 2003 and the Legacy entry for  Appellate side is completed .  Implementation in the courts of Chief Metropolitan Courts, Mumbai  has started. 

          By the end of March 2004 the hardware will be installed in all the District Courts, Family Court and City Civil Courts of Maharashtra.  The implementation plan is ready and will commence at the same in all the Courts or by the end of this financial year.  It is envisaged that, very shortly this will be available on the internet for the Common man to query sitting from the comforts of his home.

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