Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 27: India's judicial system is grappling with an overwhelming backlog of 5.29 crore pending cases, according to the latest data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as of July 21.

The lion’s share of these cases—4.65 crore—are pending before district and subordinate courts, followed by 63.30 lakh in High Courts, and 86,742 cases awaiting resolution in the Supreme Court, the data showed.

Lower Courts Operating Below Full Strength

Compounding the crisis is the shortage of judicial officers in the lower judiciary. As per the Department of Justice, only 21,122 judges are currently serving in the district and subordinate courts, despite a sanctioned strength of 25,843 as of July 21, 2025.

The appointment of judges in these courts falls under the jurisdiction of the respective State or Union Territory governments and their High Courts, the Ministry of Law and Justice clarified in a statement.

Arrears Committees and Reforms

To tackle the long-pending backlog, the Centre has pushed for institutional reforms. Arrears committees have been constituted in all 25 High Courts, specifically tasked with clearing cases that have remained unresolved for over five years. Similar committees have also been set up under district courts to expedite long-pending matters.

Judicial Appointments and Strengthening High Courts

Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal recently informed Parliament of ongoing efforts to boost judicial capacity.

Between May 1, 2014, and July 21, 2025, the government has appointed:

• 70 Judges to the Supreme Court
• 1,058 new judges to High Courts
• 794 Additional High Court judges made permanent

This has increased the sanctioned strength in High Courts from 906 in 2014 to 1,122 currently.

Fast Track Courts in Action

In a parallel effort to expedite the delivery of justice, 865 Fast Track Courts have been established across India (as of June 30, 2025), focusing on heinous crimes, and cases involving senior citizens, women, and children.

Despite these efforts, the soaring number of pending cases continues to pose a major challenge to India's justice delivery system, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reforms, digital adoption, and accelerated judicial appointments.