**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2167 regarding video conferencing (VC) facilities in district courts, to be answered on December 12th, 2025. It outlines the progress made in enabling VC facilities across the country, states the expenditure for VC within the eCourts Project Phase III, and details the number of district courts that still lack VC facilities and necessary digital equipment for hybrid hearings. A table detailing the district courts without VC facilities, arranged by high court jurisdiction, is included.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **eCourts Project Phase III:**
* Video conferencing is a component, with Rs. 228.48 Crores earmarked for the project.
* There is provision for enhancing and upgrading the available infrastructure of Video Conferencing in courts
* **Video Conferencing Implementation:**
* VC facilities have been enabled between 3,240 court complexes and 1,272 jails across the country.
* District and Subordinate courts have heard 2.85 crore cases using the VC system.
* **Courts Without VC Facilities:**
* Annexure-I provides details on district courts that do not have VC facilities and digital equipment for hybrid hearings, listed by High Court jurisdiction.
* *Examples:* Allahabad (Nil), Andhra Pradesh (3 Courts out of 657), Bombay (72 courts without VC systems and 341 without digital equipment for hybrid hearing), Karnataka (877)
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Law and Justice**
* **Impact:** Responsible for reporting the progress and status of video conferencing facilities in district courts. Accountable for the allocation and utilization of funds under the eCourts Project Phase III.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement and oversee the eCourts Project Phase III, focusing on enhancing and upgrading VC infrastructure in courts. Address the gaps in VC facilities in courts lacking equipment, as detailed in Annexure-I.
**Stakeholder: eCommittee, Supreme Court of India**
* **Impact:** Provides information related to the establishment of the video conferencing infrastructure
* **Action Required:** Continues providing the relevant and updated information related to the progress of the implementation of Video Conferencing
**Stakeholder: District Courts**
* **Impact:** Directly affected by the availability (or lack thereof) of video conferencing facilities and digital equipment.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available VC facilities effectively; cooperate with the eCourts Project Phase III initiatives to improve infrastructure; facilitate hybrid hearings where possible.
**Stakeholder: Litigants/Public**
* **Impact:** Access to justice is affected by the availability of VC facilities, especially for those in remote areas or with mobility challenges.
* **Action Required:** Benefit from the increased accessibility and efficiency of court proceedings through video conferencing.
Key Entities Referenced
eCourts Project Phase III: A project aimed at enhancing and upgrading video conferencing infrastructure in courts, including allocation of funds.
District Courts: Courts at the district level in India, the target of the video conferencing facility implementation policy.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The primary government body responsible for addressing the question regarding video conferencing facilities in district courts.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2167
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 12th DECEMBER, 2025
VIDEO CONFERENCING FACILITIES IN DISTRICT COURTS
2167 Shri Tanuj Punia:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of district courts in the country that do not have video conferencing facilities
and necessary digital equipments for hybrid hearings; and
(b) the timeline by which the Government will have these facilities?
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) : One of the components of eCourts Project Phase III is Video Conferencing for which
an amount of Rs. 228.48 Crores has been earmarked under the project. As per information
provided by the eCommittee, Supreme Court of India, Video Conferencing facilities have been
enabled between 3,240 court complexes and 1,272 jails across the country. The District and
Subordinate courts have heard 2.85 crore cases using the video conferencing system. The
information regarding the number of district courts in the country that do not have video
conferencing facilities and necessary digital equipment for hybrid hearings are placed in
Annexure- I. Further, as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the eCourts Project Phase-III,
there is provision for enhancing and upgrading the available infrastructure of Video Conferencing
in courts.
****
1Annexure- I
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION
NO. 2167 FOR 12.12.2025 REGARDING VIDEO CONFERENCING FACILITIES IN
DISTRICT COURTS.
Details of District Courts that do not have video conferencing facilities and necessary
digital equipment for hybrid hearings:
Video Conferencing Facilities in District Courts
Sr. The number of district courts under the jurisdiction of the
High Courts that do not have video conferencing facilities
No. High Courts
and necessary digital equipment for hybrid hearings
1 Allahabad Nil
2 Andhra Pradesh Only 3 Courts out of 657 Established Courts do not have
equipment for Hybrid Hearings
3 Bombay 72 numbers of courts do not have Video Conferencing Systems
and 341 numbers of Courts do not have digital equipment for
hybrid hearing.
4 Calcutta Nil (under eCourts Project)
5 Chhattisgarh Nil
6 Delhi Nil
7 Gauhati (Arunachal
Pradesh)
2
8 Gauhati (Assam) Nil
9 Gauhati (Mizoram) 2
10 Gauhati (Nagaland) Nil
11 Gujarat Nil
12 Himachal Pradesh VC facilities for hybrid hearings have not yet been provided in
82 courts, whereas the same have been provided in 63 courts
under Phase-III of the eCourts Project.”
13 Jammu & Kashmir and Nil
Ladakh
14 Jharkhand Nil
15 Karnataka 877
16 Kerala 6
17 Madhya Pradesh Nil
18 Madras 12 newly constituted Courts in the Cadre of Civil Judge
219 Manipur NA
20 Meghalaya Nil
21 Orissa Nil
22 Patna Nil
23 Punjab & Haryana Nil
24 Rajasthan 95 Courts
(45 Courts created during FY 2024-25 and50 Courts created
during FY 2025-26)
3