Parliament Question: Infrastructure in District Court

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3619 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE, 13TH MARCH, 2026 INFRASTRUCTURE IN DISTRICT COURT 3619. SHRI PUTTA MAHESH KUMAR: Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has undertaken any study/survey regarding the existing district court infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh; (b) if so, the details regarding the list of court infrastructure proposed, under construction and presently functional across Andhra Pradesh, district-wise and in Eluru district; (c) the details regarding the total amount of funds allocated, released and utilised for construction of district-court infrastructure in the districts of Andhra Pradesh over the last five years, district-wise and in Eluru district; (d) the details regarding the total number of judicial vacancies at present in district-courts across Andhra Pradesh, district-wise and in Eluru district; (e) the details regarding the list of district-court infrastructure projects that have been pending for more than five years across Andhra Pradesh, district-wise and in Eluru district; (f) the details regarding the steps undertaken to resolve such delays across Andhra Pradesh; and (g) whether the Government has considered establishing senior-citizen friendly infrastructure in district court, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL) (a) & (b): The primary responsibility for development of infrastructure facilities for District and Subordinate Courts rests with the State Governments/UTs. However, to augment the resources of States/UTs, Central Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary in the District and Subordinate Courts since 1993-94, by providing financial assistance in the prescribed fund sharing pattern between the 1Centre and States/UTs. The Scheme covers five components, namely, Court Halls, Residential Units for Judicial Officers, Lawyers’ Halls, Toilet Complexes and Digital Computer Rooms. The Scheme is appraised by a third party agency across the nation including the State of Andhra Pradesh for ensuring its effectiveness in implementation. The Scheme is also appraised by the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) and internal audits regularly. As per information provided by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, district-wise details of under construction and functional court infrastructure in the State of Andhra Pradesh are at Annexure-I. Eluru is a separate Revenue District, however, so far as Judiciary is concerned, separate details in respect of Eluru District are not available as Eluru falls under the West Godavari District. (c): The financial year-wise details regarding funds allocated and utilized under the CSS for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary in District and Subordinate Courts in respect of the State of Andhra Pradesh during last five years is as under: - (Rs. in Crore) Financial Year Allocated Utilized 2021-22 0.00 0.00 2022-23 22.50 22.50 2023-24 49.82 49.82 2024-25 0.99 0.99 2025-26 (as on 28.02.2026) 30.98 20.92 (d): The district-wise details regarding total number of judicial vacancies at present in the courts across Andhra Pradesh as received from High Court of Andhra Pradesh are as under: Name of the District Vacancy Ananthapur 6 Chittoor 10 East Godaveri 10 Guntur 2 Kadapa 6 Krishna 8 Kurnool 6 Nellore 9 Prakasam 2 Srikakulam 7 Visakhapatnam 8 West Godavri 4 Vizianagaram 6 Total 84 2(e) to (g): As per information provided by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, the list of District Court infrastructure projects pending for more than five years in the State of Andhra Pradesh is as under: - Sl. No. Name of the work 1 Four Residential Quarters at Punganur 2 Ten Court building complex at Rajamahendravaram 3 Residential Quarter to accommodate Civil Judge (Senior Division) at Ramachandrapuram 4 Multi storied Court Building Complex after demolishing the old Sub-Court Building at Vijayawada 5 Six Courts building complex at Adoni To address the issues/delay under the Scheme, effective monitoring mechanisms are in place for time bound and sustainable infrastructure developments in the States/UTs. An online monitoring mechanism namely ‘Nyaya Vikas’ portal has also been developed for collection of data on progress of judicial infrastructure projects. The norms and specifications of court infrastructure have been calculated based on recommendations of the National Court Management Systems Committee (NCMS) of the Supreme Court in the Baseline Report on Court Development Planning System, existing norms and practice being followed by State Governments concerned and CPWD/PWD norms. The planning and design of a court room is done by the building/infrastructure committees of the respective High Courts. Specific aspect including the senior- citizen friendly nature of court infrastructure at the district level and their infrastructural audits are issues within the domain of the respective State Governments and the concerned High Courts, which exercise supervisory jurisdiction over District Courts. ****** 3Annexure-I STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3619 FOR 13.03.2026 REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE IN DISTRICT COURT (A) LIST OF UNDER CONSTRUCTION COURT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH Sl. No. Name of the work 1. Four Court Building at Palamaner 2. Ten Court building complex at Rajamahendravaram 3. Residential Quarter to accommodate Civil Judge (Senior Division) at Ramachandrapuram 4. Multi storied Court Building Complex after demolishing the old Sub-Court Building at Vijayawada 5. Multistoried building complex (Stilt + Three + Terrace) to accommodate Six Courts at Gudivada 6. Four court building (G+3 floors) at Dhone 7. Six Courts building complex at Adoni 8. Residential Quarter to the Civil Judge (Junior Division) at Kotabommali 9. District Court building complex (stilt+6 floors) to accommodate 17 Courts at Vizianagaram 10. Four Court building (G+4) at Bobbili 11. Single Court Building to accommodate Civil Judge (Junior Division) Court at Cheepurupalli 12. Residential Quarter to accommodate Principal Civil Judge (Junior Division), Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) and II Additional District Judge, Parvathipuram (B) LIST OF COURT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS COMPLETED SINCE 2019 IN THE STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH Sl. No. Name of the work 1. Four Courts Building at Srikakulam 2. Junior Civil Judge -cum- Judicial Magistrate of 1st Class at Mummidivaram 3. Junior Civil Judge Court Building at Palakonda 4. Senior Civil Judge's Court Building at Punganur 5. Two Residential Quarters (Senior Civil Judge and Junior Civil Judge) at Hindupur 6. Two Court Building and Two Residential Quarters at Mydukur 7. IV Additional District and Sessions Court on the 1st floor, over the existing Senior Civil Judge's Court building at Tanuku 8. Additional floor (i.e. 2nd floor) over two Court building at Gajuwaka 9. Junior Civil Judge's Court at Prathipadu 10. Single Court building and Residential Quarter for Judicial First Class Magistrate at Kurupam 11. Junior Civil Judge's Court at Naidupet 12. Principal Junior Civil Judge's Residential Quarter at Tuni 13. First floor over the existing family Court building at Rajamahendravaram 4Sl. No. Name of the work 14. Multi Stored Court building Complex at Vijayawada 15. Residential Quarter to the Additional Junior Civil Judge at Giddalur 16. Junior Civil Judge's Residential Quarter at Kaikalur 17. New Bar Association Building, District Court Complex at Srikakulam 18. Six Court building complex at Nellore 19. residential quarter to the Additional District Judge at Markapur 20. First Floor on the existing Fast Track Court Building at Machilipatnam 21. 10 Courts Building Complex at Visakhatpatnam (i.e., 4 Courts Building Complex as per the note file & G.O.) 22. Newly constructed Residential Quarter of Junior Civil Judge at Thamballapalle 23. Two Court building for Civil Judge (Senior Division) and Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) at Nandigama 24. 15 Court Building Complex at Chittoor 25. Civil Judge's Court Building (Junior Division) at Pakala 26. VII Additional District & Sessions Judge's Court and Civil Judge's Court (Senior Division) at Gudur 27 III Additional District Court Building at Kakinada to accommodate III Additional District & Sessions Judge's Court and VI Additional District & Sessions Judge's Court at Kakinada 28 XII Additional District Court Building at Pithapuram to accommodate XII Additional District & Sessions Judge's Court and Civil Judge's Court (Senior Division) at Pithapuram 29 Newly constructed Court Building of Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) Court at Madanapalle 30 Newly constructed four Court Building & four Residential Quarters at Palamaner 31 Newly constructed Residential Quarter for XI Additional District Judge, Gudivada 32 Newly Constructed Residential Quarter for Civil Judge (Junior Division), Prathipadu 33 Court halls for VI Addl. District and Sessions Judge and Senior Civil Judge at Markapur ***** 5