"Over 11 lakh court cases pending beyond 20 years across Indian judiciary"
Judicial Pendency
cases filed but not yet disposed of by a court, measured in real time by the NJDG
Special Leave Petition (SLP)
discretionary appellate power under Article 136 allowing Supreme Court to hear appeals from any court or tribunal
The Indian judiciary is constitutionally structured as a three-tier system: the Supreme Court (established under Article 124), High Courts (under Article 214), and District and Subordinate Courts. The framers envisioned the apex court as a constitutional court of last resort, but its jurisdiction has expanded significantly through broad appellate routes under Articles 132–136, particularly the Special Leave Petition (SLP) under Article 136 — a discretionary, residual power allowing appeals from virtually any court or tribunal. This has transformed the Supreme Court into a de facto third tier of appeal, compounding its docket pressure.
The pendency crisis has been documented for decades. The Law Commission's 14th Report (1958) was among the earliest to flag systemic delays. The 120th Law Commission Report (1987) and the 245th Law Commission Report (2014) both recommended structural remedies including increasing judicial strength, rationalising jurisdiction, and deploying technology. The National Court Management Systems (NCMS) Committee (2012), constituted by the Supreme Court itself, produced a modernisation blueprint. Despite these interventions, the gap between filing rates and disposal rates has persistently widened — a phenomenon scholars call the 'pendency paradox', where reform measures improve access yet aggregate backlog continues to grow.
The right to a speedy trial has been recognised as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution since the landmark judgment in Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar (1979), which established that prolonged pre-trial detention violates the right to life and personal liberty. This constitutional grounding makes judicial delay not merely an administrative failure but a rights violation — a framing that UPSC examiners frequently test.
Judicial pendency refers to cases that have been filed but not yet disposed of by a court. It is distinct from arrears (cases beyond the normal disposal timeline) and backlog (cases older than three years in some classifications). The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), launched under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, provides real-time pendency data across all court levels and is the primary official source for such statistics.
The causes of pendency are multi-dimensional. On the supply side, India's judge-to-population ratio is among the lowest globally — approximately 21 judges per million population against a recommended norm of 50. The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of only 38 judges including the Chief Justice (raised from 34 via a 2026 amendment), and vacancies routinely reduce the working bench further. High Courts collectively carry thousands of vacancies against their sanctioned strength. On the demand side, rising legal awareness, population growth, and expanding regulatory frameworks generate ever-increasing filings. …
The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in
Consider the following statements:
1.In India, there is no law restricting the candidates from contesting in one Lok Sabha election from three constituencies.
2.In 1991 Lok Sabha Election, Shri Devi Lal contested from three Lok Sabha constituencies.
3.As per the existing rules, if a candidate contests in one Lok Sabha election from many constituencies, his/her party should bear the cost of bye-elections to the constituencies vacated by him/her in the event of him/her winning in all the constituencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
1.Pursuant to the report of H.N. Sanyal Committee, the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was passed.
2.The Constitution of India empowers the Supreme Court and the High Courts to punish for contempt of themselves.
3.The Constitution of India defines Civil Contempt and Criminal Contempt.
4.In India, the Parliament is vested with the powers to make laws on Contempt of Court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to judicial pendency in India, consider the following statements:
1.The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) is part of the e-Courts Mission Mode Project.
2.The Special Leave Petition (SLP) under Article 136 can be filed only against High Court judgments.
3.The right to speedy trial has been recognised as a fundamental right under Article 21 by the Supreme Court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly states the retirement ages of Supreme Court and High Court judges respectively under the Constitution of India?
Consider the following statements regarding the power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India:
1.The President of India has the power to increase the number of Supreme Court judges by executive order.
2.Parliament may by law prescribe the number of judges in the Supreme Court other than the Chief Justice.
3.The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is currently 38 judges including the Chief Justice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Assertion (A): India's judicial pendency continues to grow despite successive e-Courts phases and Lok Adalat drives.
Reason (R): The rate of new case filings in Indian courts consistently outpaces the rate of case disposals, a phenomenon sometimes called the 'pendency paradox'.
Which of the following is correct?
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