Odisha has successfully installed ICT hardware in 817 out of its 845 courts as part of the e-Courts Project, digitizing 42.96 lakh legacy case records and enabling 7.61 lakh virtual hearings, according to information presented to the Rajya Sabha by the Centre.
This initiative has nearly completed the digital upgrade of all district and subordinate courts within the state, reflecting a major shift toward a technology-oriented judicial framework, as stated by Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal during a written response in the Rajya Sabha.
The implementation of the e-Courts Project in Odisha is overseen by the Orissa High Court and is part of a larger strategy by the Centre to enhance the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the legal system. The initiative is executed by the Department of Justice in collaboration with the eCommittee of the Supreme Court of India, utilizing a decentralized approach involving various High Courts.
Recent updates reveal that as of June 30, 2026, 817 courts and 203 out of 215 court complexes in Odisha have received ICT hardware under Phase III of the e-Courts Project, which is scheduled to run from 2023 to 2027.
The digitization effort has significantly improved the management of court records, with 42.96 lakh legacy case records, totaling 24.17 crore pages, digitized across both the Orissa High Court and district courts.
Additionally, the transition to a paperless judiciary has progressed, with 18 High Court benches and 343 district courts currently operating without paper, utilizing PDF-based tools for digital access to case documents and court proceedings.
Digital advancements also include the administration of courts. All 30 district court websites have been migrated to the S3WAAS platform, and 320 court facilities have upgraded from the Case Information System (CIS) 3.0 to CIS 4.0.
Furthermore, the integration with the Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) has improved information sharing; since January 1, 2026, the Case Information System has managed data for 3.10 lakh First Information Reports (FIRs) and 2.29 lakh chargesheets via the ICJS platform.
e-Filing 3.0 has been implemented across all courts in Odisha, leading to the electronic submission of 1.31 lakh cases as of June 30, 2026.
Virtual court services have also expanded, with video conferencing capabilities established in every court, facilitating 7.61 lakh virtual hearings by the end of June this year.
To enhance access to legal services, especially in remote areas, 184 eSewa Kendras have been set up throughout Odisha.
The Union government has shared details of the funding allocated for Phase III of the e-Courts Project. The Orissa High Court received a budget approval of ₹9.79 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year, of which ₹6.77 crore was utilized. For 2024-25, ₹58.48 crore was sanctioned with ₹53.24 crore spent, while ₹14.12 crore was used from a sanctioned ₹16.09 crore in 2025-26. For the 2026-27 period, ₹7.09 crore has been allocated, with ₹0.43 crore utilized as of July 17, 2026.
The ongoing e-Courts Mission phase aims to digitize pending, disposed, and historical case records comprehensively, ensuring their long-term preservation, swift retrieval, reduced reliance on physical storage, and enhanced access for litigants, attorneys, and judicial officers. The project’s goal is to create a fully digital and paperless court ecosystem that supports the entire lifecycle of legal cases through complete digital processes.
A tripartite agreement has been established between the Orissa High Court, the Odisha Government, and the Government of India to facilitate the necessary funding for further stages of this digital judicial service expansion.
