More Than 30 Million Cases Pending !

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) More than thirty million cases were pending in high courts and lower courts at the end of 2006-- up from 24 million estimated early in 2005, Parliament was told today.

As many as 303,83,255 were pending as per information available on December 31, 2006, Minister of State for Law and Justice K Venkatapathy said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

These included 39,91,251 cases pending in High Courts and 2,63,92,004 in the lower courts, Venkatapathy said.

He said a Scheme to computerise of district and subordinate courts in keeping with the national policy and action plan was approved five weeks ago-- February 8.

He said the plan uses Information and Communication Technology for phased computerisation of courts and upgrading facilities in superior courts and electronic networking of the lowest court with the highest court.

UNI