CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has begun the process of buying computer and other IT equipment to modernise courts under the third phase of the national eCourts programme. The state-owned Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) has invited bids to supply, install and maintain the equipment at the Madras High Court and court complexes across the state.
Approved in 2023 with an allocation of `7,210 crore over four years by the union government, the new phase aims to create a unified technology platform for the judiciary, giving courts, litigants and other stakeholders a paperless interface. The first two phases, launched in 2007 and 2015, focused on computerising courts and making case information available online.
The centre released `90.69 crore to Tamil Nadu in 2023-24 and another `41.29 crore in 2024-25 for the programme under the third phase, according to official sources.
The new phase includes digitising old court records, setting up cloud-based systems to store information securely and using artificial intelligence (AI) to help courts organise and prioritise cases. Help centres, called e-Sewa Kendras, will assist lawyers and litigants in using these digital services, sources said.
The tender, issued through Elcot’s E-Angadi division, covers equipment for e-Sewa Kendras, IT facilities in new court complexes and upgrades to the Madras High Court’s computer and network systems. It also includes 297 smartphones for a system that enables court notices and other legal documents to be delivered and tracked electronically.
The largest share of the order is for e-Sewa Kendras. It includes 690 all-in-one computers, 230 cameras, 230 multifunction printers, 115 document visualisers and 230 speaker-and-microphone sets. New court complexes will receive backup storage drives and power-backup units.
The high court will get a server, a 500-terabyte storage system, a network switch and a firewall to strengthen its IT infrastructure.
To ensure reliability, the equipment must have been manufactured after October 2025 and carry a five-year on-site warranty. Suppliers must acknowledge complaints within 24 hours and repair or replace equipment following major failures within three days. Bids close at 3 pm on October 27, with a mandatory evaluation of product samples scheduled for October 29, according to the tender document.
The selected suppliers must deliver, install and make all equipment operational within 45 days. They must also appoint a full-time logistics coordinator. Delays will attract a penalty of 0.25% of the delayed order’s value per day, subject to a maximum of 10%, the tender document added.