Lok Sabha Question No. 2725 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Pending Court Cases
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †2725

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 04 th    DECEMBER, 2019 Pending Court Cases

## †2725. SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of cases pending in courts all over India, State/UT-wise along with the reasons for such pendency;
- (b) whether the Government has taken/introduced any structural changes to reduce the pendency of cases;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, reasons thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  developed  any  fast-track  mechanism  for  quick disposal of cases; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a): As per the data made available on the website of the Supreme Court, the number of cases  pending  in  the  Supreme  Court  as  on  01.11.2019  is  59,867.  As  per  the  data available on the National Judicial data Grid (NJDG), the number of cases pending as on 28.11.2019 in the High Courts in the country, High Court-wise, is given in Annexure I and  the  number  of  cases  pending  as  on  28.11.2019  in  the  District  and  Subordinate Courts in the country, State/UT-wise, is given in Annexure II.

- (b) and (c): Disposal of cases in courts is within the domain of judiciary. Timely disposal of  cases  in  courts  depends  on  several  factors  which, inter-alia ,  include  availability  of adequate number  of judges, supporting court staff and physical infrastructure,

complexity of facts involved, nature of evidence, co-operation of stake holders viz. bar, investigation  agencies,  witnesses  and  litigants  and  proper  application  of  rules  and procedures.

However, the Union Government is committed to speedy disposal of cases and reduction  in  pendency  of  cases.  The  National  Mission  for  Justice  Delivery  and  Legal Reforms, established by the Union Government in 2011, has adopted many strategic initiatives, including improving infrastructure [court halls and residential units] for Judicial Officers of District and Subordinate Courts, leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for better justice delivery, filling up of vacant positions of Judges in High Courts and Supreme Court, reduction in pendency through follow up by Arrears Committees  at  District,  High  Court  and  Supreme  Court  level,  emphasis  on  Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) and initiatives to fast track special type of cases. The major steps taken during the last five years under various initiatives are as follows:

- (i) Improving  infrastructure  for  Judicial  Officers  of  District  and  Subordinate Courts:  As  on  date,  Rs.  7,453.10  crores  have  been  released  since  the inception of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Development of Infrastructure Facilities for Judiciary in 1993-94. Out of this, Rs.4,008.80 crores (which is 53.79% of the total amount released till date) have been released  to  the  States  and  UTs  since  April,  2014.  The  number  of  court halls  has  increased  from  15,818  as  on  30.06.2014  to  19,425  as  on 28.11.2019 and number of residential units has increased from 10,211 as on 30.06.2014 to 17,151 as on 28.11.2019 under this scheme. In addition, 2,814 court halls and 1,843 residential units are under construction.
- (ii) Leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for improved  justice  delivery:  Government  has  been  implementing  the  eCourts Mission Mode Project throughout the country for Information and Communication Technology enablement of district and subordinate courts. Number of computerized District & Subordinate courts has increased from 13,672  to  16,845  registering  an  increase  of  3,173  during  2014  till  date. New  and  user-friendly  version  of  Case  Information  Software  has  been developed and deployed at all the computerized District and Subordinate Courts.  All stakeholders including Judicial Officers can access information relating to judicial proceedings/decisions of computerized District & Subordinate  Courts  and  High  Courts  on  the  National  Judicial  Data  Grid

(NJDG). Currently, case status information in respect of over 12.23 crore pending  and  disposed  cases  and  more  than  10.26  crore  orders  / judgments pertaining to these computerized courts is available on NJDG. eCourts  services  such  as  details  of  case  registration,  cause  list,  case status,  daily  orders  &  final  judgments  are  available  to  litigants  and advocates through eCourts web portal, Judicial Service Centres (JSC) in all computerized courts, eCourts Mobile App, email service, SMS push & pull services. Video Conferencing facility has been enabled between 3240 court complexes and 1272 corresponding jails.

- (iii) Filling up of vacant positions in Supreme Court, High Courts and District and Subordinate Courts: From 01.05.2014 to 28.11.2019, 35 Judges were appointed  in  Supreme  Court.  489  new  Judges  were  appointed  and  427 Additional Judges were made permanent in the High Courts. Sanctioned strength of Judges of High Courts has been increased from 906 in May, 2014  to  1079  currently.  Sanctioned  and  working  strength  of  Judicial Officers in District and Subordinate Courts has increased as follows:
- (iv) Reduction  in  Pendency  through  /  follow  up  by  Arrears  Committees:  In pursuance of resolution passed in Chief Justices' Conference held in April, 2015, Arrears Committees have been set up in High Courts to clear cases pending for more than five years.  Arrears Committees have been set up under District Judges too.  Arrears Committee has been constituted in the Supreme Court to formulate steps to reduce pendency of cases in  High Courts and District Courts.
- (v) Emphasis on Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR): Commercial Courts Act, 2015  (as  amended  on  20 th August,  2018)  stipulates  mandatory  preinstitution mediation and settlement of commercial disputes. Amendment to  the  Arbitration  and  Conciliation  Act,  1996  has  been  made  by  the Arbitration  and  Conciliation  (Amendment)  Act  2015  for  expediting  the speedy resolution of disputes by prescribing timelines.

| As on      | Sanctioned Strength   | Working Strength   |
|------------|-----------------------|--------------------|
| 31.12.2013 | 19,518                | 15,115             |
| 28.11.2019 | 23,564                | 18,125             |

(d)  and  (e):  The  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission  endorsed  the  proposal  of  the Government  to  strengthen  the  judicial  system  in  States  which  included,  inter-alia, establishing  Fast  Track  Courts  for  cases  of  heinous  crimes;  cases  involving  senior citizens, women, children etc., and urged the State Governments to use the additional fiscal space provided in the form of enhanced tax devolution form 32% to 42% to meet such requirements. As on 30.09.2019, 704 Fast Track Courts are functional for heinous crimes,  crimes  against  women and  children,  family  and  matrimonial  disputes,  etc.  To fast  track  criminal  cases  involving  elected  MPs  /  MLAs,  ten  (10)  Special  Courts  are functional  in  nine  (9)  States  (1  each  in  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Tamil  Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and 2 in NCT of Delhi) and proportionate funds have been released to these States by the Government. Further, Government has approved a scheme for setting up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts across the country for expeditious disposal of pending cases under Rape and POCSO Act.

*****

## Annexure - I

## Number of cases pending as on 28.11.2019 in the High Courts, High Court-wise As per NJDG

| Sl. No   | Name of High Courts                   | Number of Cases   |
|----------|---------------------------------------|-------------------|
| 1.       | Allahabad High Court                  | 7,30,588          |
| 2.       | Calcutta High Court                   | 22,013            |
| 3.       | Gauhati High Court                    | 44,911            |
| 4.       | High Court for the State of Telangana | 2,17,606          |
| 5.       | High Court of Andhra Pradesh          | 1,92,809          |
| 6.       | High Court of Bombay                  | 2,67,809          |
| 7.       | High Court of Chhattisgarh            | 67,734            |
| 8.       | High Court of Delhi                   | 80,206            |
| 9.       | High Court of Gujarat                 | 1,25,707          |
| 10.      | High Court of Himachal Pradesh        | 43,339            |
| 11.      | High Court of Jammu & Kashmir         | 74,811            |
| 12.      | High Court of Jharkhand               | 84,163            |
| 13.      | High Court of Karnataka               | 2,46,194          |
| 14.      | High Court of Kerala                  | 1,96,578          |
| 15.      | High Court of Madhya Pradesh          | 3,56,968          |
| 16.      | High Court of Manipur                 | 3,708             |
| 17.      | High Court of Meghalaya               | 1,043             |
| 18.      | High Court of Punjab & Haryana        | 5,15,498          |
| 19.      | High Court of Rajasthan               | 4,58,393          |
| 20.      | High Court of Sikkim                  | 244               |
| 21.      | High Court of Tripura                 | 2,671             |
| 22.      | High Court of Uttarakhand             | 38,999            |
| 23.      | Madras High Court                     | 4,01,632          |
| 24.      | Orissa High Court                     | 1,49,138          |
| 25.      | Patna High Court                      | 1,68,123          |
| Total    |                                       | 44,90,885         |

Number of cases pending as on 28.11.2019 in the District and Subordinate Courts in the country, State/UT-wise - As per NJDG

| Sl. No.   | Name of States / UTs      | Number of Cases   |
|-----------|---------------------------|-------------------|
| 1.        | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | ----              |
| 2.        | Andhra Pradesh            | 5,62,307          |
| 3.        | Telangana                 | 5,57,563          |
| 4.        | Arunachal Pradesh         | ----              |
| 5.        | Assam                     | 2,93,412          |
| 6.        | Bihar                     | 28,48,083         |
| 7.        | Chandigarh                | 47,482            |
| 8.        | Chhattisgarh              | 2,76,762          |
| 9.        | D & N Haveli              | 3,091             |
| 10.       | Daman & Diu               | 2,203             |
| 11.       | Delhi                     | 8,42,322          |
| 12.       | Goa                       | 46,660            |
| 13.       | Gujarat                   | 16,22,306         |
| 14.       | Haryana                   | 8,57,145          |
| 15.       | Himachal Pradesh          | 2,90,574          |
| 16.       | Jammu & Kashmir           | 1,74,858          |
| 17.       | Jharkhand                 | 3,85,148          |
| 18.       | Karnataka                 | 15,59,675         |
| 19.       | Kerala                    | 12,74,349         |
| 20.       | Lakshadweep               | ----              |
| 21.       | Madhya Pradesh            | 14,28,784         |
| 22.       | Maharashtra               | 37,73,505         |
| 23.       | Manipur                   | 9,883             |
| 24.       | Meghalaya                 | 8,847             |
| 25.       | Mizoram                   | 2,560             |
| 26.       | Nagaland                  | ----              |
| 27.       | Orissa                    | 12,22,774         |
| 28.       | Punjab                    | 6,34,550          |
| 29.       | Rajasthan                 | 16,67,743         |
| 30.       | Sikkim                    | 1,205             |
| 31.       | Tamil Nadu                | 11,61,512         |
| 32.       | Puducherry                | ----              |
| 33.       | Tripura                   | 24,326            |
| 34.       | Uttar Pradesh             | 75,52,697         |
| 35.       | Uttarakhand               | 1,98,638          |
| 36.       | West Bengal               | 22,80,074         |
| Total     |                           | 3,16,11,038       |

Note :  Data  on  District  and  Subordinate  Courts  in  the  States  of  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Nagaland, and  Union  Territories  of  Lakshadweep,  Puducherry  and  Andaman  &  Nicobar  Islands  are  not available on the web-portal of NJDG.