Digital Transformation in the Judiciary: Evaluating the Impact of Court Case Management Systems on Reducing Case Backlogs and Enhancing Efficiency in Subordinate Courts of Tamil Nadu

Case pendency has long impeded timely justice delivery in India, with subordinate courts bearing the brunt of the backlog. To counter this chronic issue, successive e‐Governance initiatives have sought to digitalise the court ecosystem. The Court Case Management System (CCMS) is among the most far‐reaching of these reforms, promising end‐to‐end workflow automation, richer data visibility and citizen‐centric services. Using a mixed‐methods case‐study design, this article measures the impact of CCMS implementation across ten district courts in Tamil Nadu between 2021 and 2024. Quantitative analysis of National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) statistics is complemented by qualitative insights from judges, clerks and litigants. The evidence points to a 10– 20 percent decline in case backlog in major districts, shorter throughput times in routine matters, reduced clerical workload and higher user satisfaction. Nonetheless, the benefits are moderated by uneven digital literacy, infrastructure deficits and cultural resistance to process change. The article closes with policy recommendations aligned to Sustainable Development Goals 4, 9 and 16 to secure an inclusive, innovation‐driven and accountable justice system.