A PIL’s Impact: Overhauling Delhi’s Digital Courts to Address Cheque Bounce Delays
The PIL, led by Jagriti Jain and Parthesh Bhardwaj of UN Legal Group, demonstrates how public interest litigation can drive systemic judicial reforms, enhancing accountability and efficiency in digital courts
A PIL’s Impact – PIL’s – Overhauling Delhi’s Digital Courts – taxscan
A PIL’s Impact – PIL’s – Overhauling Delhi’s Digital Courts – taxscan
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Delhi High Court has led to meaningful judicial reforms in the handling of cheque bounce cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, particularly in the North District of Delhi. The PIL was filed by Jagriti Jain, founding partner of UN Legal Group, highlighting administrative lapses that were hampering the efficiency of the Digital NI Act Court in the district.
The Pendency and Connectivity Issues Raised In The Petition
The PIL, numbered W.P.(C) 5368/2024, raised concerns over the excessive pendency ,more than 8,000 cases before the only designated Digital NI Act Court in the North District. The petition also flagged persistent connectivity issues with the Layers portal, which is used for digital case hearings. These technical shortcomings, coupled with listing delays of up to ten months, were undermining the intended efficiency of digital adjudication.
The petitioner further sought directions for framing regulations to ensure better network infrastructure and a reduction in the long intervals between listings at the ‘consideration’ stage in cheque bounce cases.
High Court Issues Directions and How State Responds
On April 16, 2024, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising Justice Manmohan (Then Acting Chief Justice) and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued directions to the respondents to examine and address the pendency and technical issues raised in the petition.
In compliance, the Registrar General of the High Court submitted a status report on May 9, 2024, outlining the remedial measures undertaken. A second Digital NI Act Court was established in the North District to help manage the case load. The pending matters were evenly distributed between the two digital courts.
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For resolving the connectivity issues, the concerned Judicial Officer was relocated from a camp office to a chamber within the court complex. This move resolved the VPN-related network problems that had been affecting access to the Layers portal.
After being informed of these developments, counsel for the petitioner acknowledged that the grievance had been addressed. The petition was accordingly disposed of.
Real Impact in 2025
While the petition was formally disposed of in 2024, the impact of the High Court’s directions has become evident in 2025. Administrative changes initiated as a result of the PIL have visibly improved the functioning of the courts:
I. Exclusive Digital NI Act Courts Improve Case Disposal
The creation of dedicated Digital NI Act Courts marked a significant shift in the judicial approach to cheque bounce matters. These courts operate virtually and are equipped with digital tools that streamline case scheduling and reduce delays between filing and the first hearing. The focused nature of these courts has led to domain-specific familiarity among judicial officers, resulting in faster and more consistent adjudication.
For litigants and lawyers, the virtual format has eased logistical challenges and improved accessibility to justice.
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II. Additional Judges and Redistribution of Workload
The High Court also appointed additional Metropolitan Magistrates and redistributed pending matters, which helped balance the workload across courtrooms. Prior to the intervention, one digital court was managing an unsustainable number of cases. With two functioning courts and fresh appointments, pendency has begun to reduce, and long-delayed cases are finally moving forward.
III. Hybrid Model Adopted for Select Cases
Recognizing that not all cases are best handled online, especially those requiring cross-examination or negotiation, courts have begun transitioning certain matters back to physical hearings. This hybrid approach allows efficiency gains to continue through digital platforms while safeguarding procedural fairness and enhancing participation for litigants unfamiliar with technology.
Conclusion
This case illustrates how public-spirited litigation can serve as a powerful instrument for systemic reform. The PIL, drafted and argued by Ms. Jagriti Jain and Mr. Parthesh Bhardwajof UN Legal Group, brought much-needed attention to the challenges faced in the digital judicial environment and has directly contributed to long-term improvements in the justice delivery system.
The UN Legal Group emphasized that the role of litigation must go beyond individual client outcomes, it must serve to strengthen institutional accountability and governance. The reforms triggered by this PIL reflect exactly that.
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