Commercial Courts

Kerala has designated commercial courts at High Courts and District Courts for redressal of commercial disputes. Specialized commercial courts at High Courts and District Courts can focus on commercial disputes exclusively, thereby reducing the time taken compared to the regular court system. As part of enforcement of Section 17 of The Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2015 to examine redressal of commercial disputes on an on-going basis. The quarterly data on redressal of commercial disputes is published in K-SWIFT.

Commercial Courts of Kerala

The State of Kerala has subordinate judges' courts as commercial courts under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. This decision was made to address the large number of pending cases and to enhance the efficiency of the judicial system in handling commercial disputes. Commercial courts in Kerala handle disputes involving commercial transactions, including those related to trade, commerce, and business agreements. The pecuniary jurisdiction of these courts is more than ₹10 lakh. Disputes with a value of less than ₹10 lakh are dealt with by Munsiff Courts.

The Commercial Division of the High Court of Kerala deals with original petitions on commercial disputes, including international arbitration. The Commercial Appellate Division handles appeals from the orders of commercial courts and the Commercial Division. These courts adjudicate a wide range of commercial disputes, including those related to mercantile documents, export/import of merchandise, admiralty and maritime law, construction contracts, and more2.

E-Courts System in Kerala

The e-Courts system in Kerala is part of a nationwide initiative to digitize the judiciary and make legal processes more accessible and efficient. The High Court of Kerala and various district courts have implemented several e-services to facilitate this transition.

E-Filing: Litigants and lawyers can file cases online through the e-filing portal. This service includes the submission of bail applications and obtaining certified copies of documents.

e-Filing system is a complete end to end solution developed for online filing of plaints, written statements, replies and various applications related to cases. Both Civil and Criminal cases can be filed before any High Court or District Court of the country. It is designed in Bilingual (English and local language) to reach wider group covering advocates/litigants.

Electronic Filing of Commercial Cases in the various courts of Kerala can be completed through the following link: https://filing.ecourts.gov.in/pdedev/

Electronic Filing of Commercial Cases in the High Court of Kerala can be completed through the following link: https://ecourts.kerala.gov.in/digicourt/

Case Status and Judgments: The e-Courts portal provides real-time updates on case status, judgments, and causelists. Users can search for case information by case number, party name, or advocate name.

Video Conferencing: Courts in Kerala have adopted video conferencing for hearings, making it easier for parties to participate in proceedings without being physically present.

Mobile App: The e-Courts Services app offers various functionalities, including case status tracking, court orders, and more, directly from mobile devices.

24x7 Online Courts: Kerala has launched India's first 24x7 online court in Kollam, which began operations in November 2024. This innovative digital courtroom offers round-the-clock access to the justice system, allowing litigants to file and resolve cases entirely online without the need for physical presence, paperwork, or in-person hearings. Initially, it handles cheque dishonour cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act

Digital Courtrooms: Model digital courtrooms and digital district courts are being established across all 14 districts of Kerala. These courtrooms are equipped with state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure, enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of the judiciary