New Delhi: In a significant step towards promoting efficiency, transparency, and digital governance, the Department of Legal Affairs (DLA) of the Ministry of Law & Justice has achieved a major milestone by integrating the legal information management and briefing system (LIMBS) with the public financial management system (PFMS). This reform aligns with the government’s ‘Special Campaign 5.0’ and supports the broader national initiatives of ease of doing business and Digital India.
Until recently, payment of fees to advocates required extensive manual processing, involving physical submission of bills and verification through multiple levels, often resulting in delays. The newly enhanced e-bill module has transformed this process into a fully electronic, paperless system — enabling end-to-end digital processing of fee disbursals for law officers and panel advocates.
The integration ensures seamless transmission of bills generated on LIMBS to PFMS for digital verification, sanction, and payment. Each claim is assigned a claim reference number (CRN), enabling real-time tracking and transparency. Once verified and digitally signed by the drawing and disbursing officer (DDO), payments are automatically released to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through PFMS, eliminating manual paperwork and physical file movement.
Implemented by the central agency section (CAS) of the DLA in February 2025, the e-bill module for panel advocate payments has already demonstrated substantial improvements in processing speed and record-keeping accuracy. The DLA is now preparing to extend the system to other litigation units, including those handling cases in the Delhi High Court. Additionally, a retainer fee module within LIMBS is under consideration to automate periodic payments to law officers.
The integration of LIMBS with PFMS marks a major stride in strengthening digital governance within the legal administration ecosystem. It enhances accountability, promotes environmental sustainability through paperless operations, and brings uniformity in fee disbursal processes across ministries and departments.