Centre Allocates ₹2,010 Crore for Judicial Infra, eCourts

• Centre has allocated ₹2,010 crore for judicial infrastructure and court digitisation in Union Budget 2026.
• ₹810 crore has been set aside for district and subordinate court infrastructure.
• ₹1,200 crore will fund Phase III of the eCourts Project.
• Government says digital services, legal aid and ADR mechanisms are improving access to justice.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 26th July: The Centre has allocated ₹2,010 crore in the Union Budget 2026 to strengthen judicial infrastructure and accelerate the digitisation of courts across the country, Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal informed the Lok Sabha.

According to the minister, ₹810 crore has been earmarked under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for the District and Subordinate Courts, while ₹1,200 crore has been allocated for the eCourts Project Phase III, which focuses on digitisation of courts, training and capacity building.

Meghwal said adequate budgetary provisions have been made under both schemes based on approved outlays and the availability of funds. However, he noted that the speed of case disposal depends on several factors, including the complexity of cases, quality of investigation, availability of evidence, effectiveness of legal representation, timely court processes and active participation of litigants.

Sharing data on judicial vacancies in Rajasthan, the minister said the Rajasthan High Court has a sanctioned strength of 50 judges, of which 39 are in position, leaving 11 vacancies. Of the 1,722 sanctioned posts of judicial officers in the state, 1,517 are filled and 205 remain vacant. Similarly, out of 18,832 sanctioned court staff positions, 11,226 are occupied, leaving 7,606 vacancies.

In the Tonk Judgeship, one of the 30 sanctioned judicial officer posts is vacant, while 165 of the 412 sanctioned court staff posts remain unfilled. In the Sawai Madhopur Judgeship, one judicial officer post is vacant against a sanctioned strength of 25, while 127 of the 321 sanctioned court staff posts are vacant.

The minister said the Centre, in coordination with state governments and the judiciary, has undertaken several initiatives to ensure accessible, speedy and effective justice across the country, including the Tonk–Sawai Madhopur parliamentary constituency.

These measures include financial assistance for court infrastructure under the CSS, Tele-Law services through Common Service Centres for pre-litigation legal advice, and digital initiatives under the eCourts Project, such as e-Filing, e-Pay, Virtual Courts, video conferencing and the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).

The government is also promoting free legal aid through Legal Services Authorities and encouraging Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, including Lok Adalats and mediation, to facilitate quicker resolution of disputes.

The information was provided by Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.