SC Refuses PIL To Bring Tribunals Under National Judicial Data Grid

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL seeking to bring tribunals in the e-courts project through the National Judicial Data Grid(NJDG).

The Bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said, “You may approach the Department of Justice regarding this. The NJDG is part of the e-courts project. It looks at district courts, the high courts and the Supreme Court and this does not look at tribunals at all.”

The petitioner argued that quasi-judicial bodies like the Armed Forces Tribunal and the National Green Tribunal should be integrated into the National Judicial Data Grid.

The court observed that INR 7,000 crore was allocated for the courts under the NJDG and not for the tribunals. “The moment we say the tribunals will be brought under it then the funds will be spent on tribunals as well,” it added.

Noting that the NJDG is monitored and funded by the Department of Justice of the Law Ministry, the court has allowed the petitioner to approach the central government for the inclusion of tribunals.

The NJDG falls under the e-courts projects that pertain to the formulation of a national policy on the computerization of the country’s judiciary. It is monitored and funded by the Department of Justice of the Law Ministry.

The NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending and disposed of by the courts across the country.

Kishan Chand Jain v. Union of India W.P.(C) No. 453/2024