#DigitalIndia: Just how good are the websites of our High Courts?

Pursuant to the Centre’s Digital India initiative, courts across the country are fast moving towards digitization. The Ministry of Law and Justice’s e-courts project has been in full swing over the past few years, with information regarding cases in high courts, and to a lesser extent, lower courts, becoming more accessible to lawyers and litigants alike..And a substantial amount of money has been spent on computerizing court records and making them available online. The 14th Finance Commission of India had signed off on a total of Rs. 9749 crore for the judiciary, out of which Rs. 1252 crore will be spent on “manpower for e-courts project and digitization of court records” over the span of five years..So how do these efforts reflect on the quality of the websites of the twenty four high courts across India?.While analyzing the websites, a few interesting things were revealed..For one, none of the high court websites appeared to be enabled with features for the differently-abled populace. In addition, with the occasional exception, the websites have no provision to make themselves available in a dialect convenient to the local inhabitants of their state..To reach our conclusion, we judged the websites on a host of factors: attention to detail, ease of access and interface, swift uploading of orders, etc. And although most high court websites have tried to model themselves upon the Supreme Court format, some stood out for better (and worse!)..Allahabad High Court.What we like: A simple no-frills interface, extremely user friendly. Minimal lag in uploading orders..What we don’t like: No feature for translating the page into Hindi, given that the state has such a large Hindi speaking populace..Standout features: Tab for ‘judgment headlines’, which details a gist of the judgment’s central idea, as well as a separate catalogue of important decisions that were in the news..Karnataka High Court.What we like: Works well, quick to load..What we don’t: Slow on updates..Standout Features: A provision for availing SMS alerts for case status, current cases being heard by the Court Benches, etc.. Madras High Court.What we like: Excellent quality webpage, with no lags or technical issues..What we don’t: Mismatched fonts..Standout Features: E-Committee Newsletter is unique, and most forms are available online for download, which makes the work of litigants and visitors much easier.. Himachal Pradesh High Court.What we like: Easy to understand layout, with a very helpful sitemap..What we don’t: Slightly outdated design..Standout Features: Real Time Data on pending cases in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, and a very interesting feedback mechanism to track complaints.. Punjab and Haryana High Court.What we like: Well-planned website and a visually arresting display..What we don’t: Not lacking in much..Standout Features: Column for the latest judgments pronounced by the court. Has an annual report for gender sensitization initiatives.. High Court of Judicature at Patna.What we like: Layout is easy to follow, and searching for orders and judgments is extremely uncomplicated. Not to mention, it is surprisingly easy on the eyes..What we don’t: Contact Information could have been more helpful..Standout features: Map to access the Court, Contact Details for Advocates, Detailed notification Section.. Rajasthan High Court.What we like: Professional looking website with no snags..What we don’t: Generic features (and a typo on the main page!).Standout Features: Detailed e-Courts project..Delhi High Court.What we like: Clean interface, with a pleasing web design..What we don’t: The Virtual Tour, which could have been one of the first of its kind in the country, does not work..Standout Features: Links for online gate pass registration, feedback and an exclusive e-library. Also worth mentioning is their list of announcements for pronouncing of judgments. The only website to have real-time pendency tracking.. Jharkhand High Court.What we like: Quality layout..What we don’t: Some features, such as the display board, may be slow to load..Standout Features: Upcoming Events, well-maintained gallery.. Calcutta High Court.What we like: Standard website, gets the job done..What we don’t: The website is devoid of downloadable forms, and given that it is one of the oldest courts, it should have been available in a local language as well..Standout Features: E-Library, Database on pendency of cases. Madhya Pradesh High Court.What we like: Hindi-enabled website, with a simple but effective design..What we don’t: Nothing much..Standout Features: e-filing User Manual, Details of Family Courts.. Gujarat High Court.What we like: Reasonably efficient, has multiple features of use..What we don’t: Unoriginal design, looks suspiciously like the Supreme Court website in another template..Standout Features: Online Bail System (unique and interesting!), E-Gatepass.. Jammu & Kashmir High Court .What we like: Not much on offer..What we don’t: With an almost-juvenile layout, the Court needs to seriously step up its web design game..Standout Features: None.. Bombay High Court.What we like: Detailed website with a lot of useful services, such as Court Receiver Minutes. Quick on uploads..What we don’t: Complicated judgment search, no provision to search by date..Standout Features: Tour of the Virtual Museum (one that actually works!), and E-Library.. Sikkim High Court.What we like: Uncomplicated interface..What we don’t: Very few applications and services of interest..Standout Features: None.. Gauhati High Court.What we like: Interesting layout, with a unique colour scheme..What we don’t: Lack of SMS services..Standout Features: Case classifications, to make it easier for judges and officers to differentiate between cases. Also, statistics relating to disposal and pendency are available on the website as well.. High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad.What we like: User friendly website, with no complicated pathways for accessing information. All the services available are curated on the home page itself..What we don’t: Insipid web design..Standout Features: SMS alerts.. Kerala High Court.What we like: Quality layout..What we don’t: No way to access earlier orders passed by the Court..Standout Features: Assets and liabilities of judges listed as a separate tab on the home page.. Jharkhand High Court.What we like: Well-maintained website, with timely updates and insights into the happenings of the High Court. Has a list of upcoming events that is regularly updated..What we don’t: Some features, such as the display board, may be slow to load..Standout Features: Helpful site links curated on the Home page and an updated gallery.. Chhattisgarh High Court.What we like: Uncluttered, Hindi-enabled website..What we don’t: Lack of downloadable forms/proformae..Standout Features: Important headlines of various cases displayed under the ‘Latest AFR’ section, List of speeches delivered by various judges, etc. downloadable from the website itself (in both PDF and HTML form).. Orissa High Court.What we like: Excellent website, with great design and features..What we don’t: Nothing; one of the best websites on the list..Standout Features: Case Pendency Report, Great Site-map, Annual Report is detailed and well documented.. Tripura High Court.What we like: User-friendly layout..What we don’t: Crowded, haphazard home page..Standout Features: Monthly statement, which displays the pendency of cases.. Manipur High Court.What we like: Uncomplicated interface..What we don’t: Complete lack of interesting features. Link to display board leads to the causelist..Standout Features: Monthly pendency tracker.. Uttarakhand High Court.What we like: The detailed site layout, which manages to cram links and updates without appearing cluttered..What we don’t: Nothing..Standout Features: E-Library, Lots of online applications to bring the court experience to your phone.