A year after its launch, the country’s first 24×7 Open and Networked (ON) court, situated in Kerala’s Kollam district, has demonstrated results that position it as a potential national model for tackling the massive backlog in India’s judicial system. Inaugurated last November by current Supreme Court Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, the ON court was conceptualized not merely as a digitization effort, but as a fundamental redesign of justice delivery aimed at bringing courts closer to the people.
The Vision: Transforming High-Volume Litigation
The core idea for the online court emerged from brainstorming sessions involving judges of the Supreme Court and the Kerala High Court. The objective was to create a system that could efficiently handle a specific category of high-volume cases.
- Technology Partners: PUCAR, a non-profit focused on dispute resolution, provided the technological backbone and conducted user research, with Agami serving as a key contributor.
- Case Focus: The Kollam ON court exclusively deals with cheque dishonour cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, accepting cases from nine police stations in the district. Cheque bouncing cases are low-complexity but account for approximately 10% of all litigation in district courts, making them a significant factor in the overall backlog.
Key Digital Innovations Accelerating Justice
The 24×7 ON court is unique in that all major procedural steps are done digitally, effectively eliminating the paperwork and logistical bottlenecks that plague traditional courts.
- Round-the-Clock Filing: Unlike physical courts with strict timings and mandatory paperwork, cases can be filed at any time of the day without any physical documents.
- Seamless Communication: The system ensures seamless communication with external stakeholders such as the police, post office, treasury, and prisons, fundamentally transforming existing processes.
- Instant Summons: Summons can be sent to the accused immediately via SMS and e-mail, replacing the slow, traditional route via physical post.
- Litigant and Lawyer Benefits: Litigants can track their case through the online portal, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming trips to meet their lawyers. Lawyers receive proactive alerts on their cellphones about hearings and case updates, saving time and paper through the digital trail of documents.
Dramatic Improvement in Case Disposal Time
The pilot project’s figures clearly demonstrate its efficiency compared to traditional courts:
- Speedy Disposal: As of November 20, 2025, the ON court has seen 861 cases filed, with 168 disposed of. The average time for disposal is just 140 days (less than five months), typically requiring less than 10 hearings.
- Traditional Contrast: By comparison, physical courts take anywhere from 1-2 years to even 5-6 years to dispose of similar cases.
- Current Pending Status: Of the pending 672 cases, over 350 are in the stage where the accused is required to appear.
User Feedback Underscores Success
The system has received high praise from practitioners and users:
- Lawyer Beena M noted the efficiency: “As soon as the case is filed and the documents are seen to be proper, the summons is sent immediately via text and e-mail. There are no long adjournments.” She attributes the speedy disposal to the system and the fact that most cheque dishonour cases end in out-of-court settlements.
- Litigant Genghis Khan, a financial institution manager, highlighted the increased compliance: “The accused gets digital summons and simultaneously, the police also gets alerted. There is a fear (in the mind of the accused) that he will have to face the law.” He cited a case that settled quickly due to the digital tracking and prosecution alerts, saving what would have been a “long time” in a physical court.
Plans for Expansion
The project’s success has convinced its creators that this is the necessary model for systemic change. Supriya Sankaran of PUCAR stated, “We have been able to debunk that narrative [that systems don’t change]… Everyone was suffering.”
An anonymous official from the High Court’s IT division confirmed that a plan is under active consideration to set up an ON court to handle cheque dishonour cases in the Thrissur district next, reinforcing the goal to scale up the system to alleviate the chokehold caused by high-volume cases like cheque dishonour and motor vehicle compensation.