Lok Sabha Question No. 675 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Judge Population Ratio
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 675

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 06 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019.

## Judge Population Ratio

675. SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

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

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  Judge  Population  Ratio  has  deteriorated  in  the country during each of the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether there is a huge gap between sanctioned and actual strength of Judges in Supreme Court, High Courts and Subordinate Courts of the country, if so, the details  thereof,  State/UT-wise  along  with  its  impact  on  the  functioning  of  the judiciary in the country;
- (c) the number of Judges appointed in the said courts during the said period, State/ UT-wise; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to improve the Judge Population Ratio in the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d): Based on the population as per Census 2011 and as per available information regarding  sanctioned  strength  of  Judges  in  Supreme  Court,  High  Courts  and  District  & Subordinate Courts in the year 2018, the judge - population ratio in the country works out to  be  19.78  Judges  per  million  population  in  comparison  to  17.48  Judges  per  million population  in  the  year  2014.    The  sanctioned  strength  of  Judges  of  High  Courts  has increased  from  906  judges  in  June  2014  to  1079  judges  in  December,  2018  and  the sanctioned strength of Judges of District / Subordinate Courts has increased from 20,214 in  the  year  2014  to  22,833  in  the  year  2018.    The  sanctioned  strength  of  Judges  in Supreme Court is 31.

The High Court - wise details of sanctioned / working strength and vacancies of Judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts are given in a Statement at Annexure - I .

The State / UT-wise details of sanctioned / working strength and vacancies of Judges in District and Subordinate Courts are given in a Statement at Annexure - II .

As per the Constitution, the selection and appointment of judges in subordinate courts is the responsibility of State Governments and the High Courts concerned.  As per information  made  available  by  the  High  Courts  and  respective  State  Governments, sanctioned strength of Judges of District / Subordinate Courts has increased from 20,214 in the year 2014 to 22,833 in the year 2018.  The working strength of Judges of District and Subordinate Courts is increased from 15,634 in the year 2014 to 17,701 in the year 2018.  The State / UT-wise details of sanctioned / working strength of Judges of District / Subordinate Courts in the years 2014 and 2018 are given in a Statement at Annexure-III.

The appointment of Judges and Judicial Officers in the District and Subordinate Courts falls  within  the  domain  of  the  High  Courts  and  State  Governments  concerned  in which the Central Government has no role.  However, in order to facilitate regular filling up of these vacancies in a smooth and time-bound manner, the Department of Justice vide its letter dated 28 th April,  2017 suggested certain options to the Hon'ble Supreme Court for creation  of  a  Central  Selection  Mechanism.    The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court suo  motu converted  the  Government's  suggestions  into  a  writ  petition  on  09 th May,  2017  and directed  all  State  Governments  (including  Union  Territories)  to  file  their  responses  and suggestions by way of affidavits.  The above matter is subjudice at present.

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Annexure-I Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.675 for reply on 06.02.2019 Statement  showing  the  approved  strength,  working  strength  and  vacancies  of

Judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts as on 31.01.2019.

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Court      | Approved Strength   | Working Strength   | Vacancies as per Approved Strength   |
|-----------|------------------------|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------|
| A.        | Supreme Court of India | 31                  | 28                 | 03                                   |
| B.        | High Court             |                     |                    |                                      |
| 1         | Allahabad              | 160                 | 108                | 52                                   |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh         | 37                  | 13                 | 24                                   |
| 3         | Bombay                 | 94                  | 70                 | 24                                   |
| 4         | Calcutta               | 72                  | 36                 | 36                                   |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           | 22                  | 15                 | 07                                   |
| 6         | Delhi                  | 60                  | 38                 | 22                                   |
| 7         | Gauhati                | 24                  | 20                 | 04                                   |
| 8         | Gujarat                | 52                  | 28                 | 24                                   |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh       | 13                  | 08                 | 05                                   |
| 10        | Jammu & Kashmir        | 17                  | 09                 | 08                                   |
| 11        | Jharkhand              | 25                  | 18                 | 07                                   |
| 12        | Karnataka              | 62                  | 31                 | 31                                   |
| 13        | Kerala                 | 47                  | 37                 | 10                                   |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh         | 53                  | 34                 | 19                                   |
| 15        | Madras                 | 75                  | 60                 | 15                                   |
| 16        | Manipur                | 05                  | 03                 | 02                                   |
| 17        | Meghalaya              | 04                  | 03                 | 01                                   |
| 18        | Orissa                 | 27                  | 15                 | 12                                   |
| 19        | Patna                  | 53                  | 27                 | 26                                   |
| 20        | Punjab& Haryana        | 85                  | 53                 | 32                                   |
| 21        | Rajasthan              | 50                  | 25                 | 25                                   |
| 22        | Sikkim                 | 03                  | 03                 | 0                                    |
| 23        | Telengana              | 24                  | 13                 | 11                                   |
| 24        | Tripura                | 04                  | 03                 | 01                                   |
| 25        | Uttarakhand            | 11                  | 09                 | 02                                   |
| Total     | Total                  | 1079                | 679                | 400                                  |

Annexure - II Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.675 for reply on 06.02.2019 Sanctioned  Strength,  Working  Strength  and  Vacancies  of  Judicial  Officers  of District and Subordinate Courts as on 31.12.2018.

| Sr. No.   | Name of State / UT           | Total Sanctioned Strength   | Total Working Strength   | Total Vacancy   |
|-----------|------------------------------|-----------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|
| 1         | Andaman & Nicobar Islands    | 11                          | 11                       | 0               |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana | 987                         | 902                      | 85              |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh            | 30                          | 25                       | 5               |
| 4         | Assam                        | 430                         | 356                      | 74              |
| 5         | Bihar                        | 1845                        | 1223                     | 622             |
| 6         | Chandigarh                   | 30                          | 30                       | 0               |
| 7         | Chhattisgarh                 | 452                         | 394                      | 58              |
| 8         | Dadra and Nagar Haveli       | 3                           | 3                        | 0               |
| 9         | Daman and Diu                | 3                           | 3                        | 0               |
| 10        | Delhi                        | 758                         | 542                      | 216             |
| 11        | Goa                          | 50                          | 47                       | 3               |
| 12        | Gujarat                      | 1506                        | 1146                     | 360             |
| 13        | Haryana                      | 658                         | 486                      | 172             |
| 14        | Himachal Pradesh             | 164                         | 149                      | 15              |
| 15        | Jammu & Kashmir              | 310                         | 224                      | 86              |
| 16        | Jharkhand                    | 676                         | 458                      | 218             |
| 17        | Karnataka                    | 1307                        | 1105                     | 202             |
| 18        | Kerala                       | 535                         | 467                      | 68              |
| 19        | Lakshadweep                  | 3                           | 3                        | 0               |
| 20        | Madhya Pradesh               | 1872                        | 1430                     | 442             |
| 21        | Maharashtra                  | 2141                        | 1965                     | 176             |
| 22        | Manipur                      | 55                          | 40                       | 15              |
| 23        | Meghalaya                    | 97                          | 39                       | 58              |
| 24        | Mizoram                      | 64                          | 46                       | 18              |
| 25        | Nagaland                     | 33                          | 26                       | 7               |
| 26        | Orissa                       | 912                         | 748                      | 164             |
| 27        | Puducherry                   | 26                          | 12                       | 14              |
| 28        | Punjab                       | 675                         | 527                      | 148             |
| 29        | Rajasthan                    | 1372                        | 1101                     | 271             |
| 30        | Sikkim                       | 23                          | 19                       | 4               |
| 31        | Tamilnadu                    | 1159                        | 896                      | 263             |
| 32        | Tripura                      | 115                         | 75                       | 40              |
| 33        | Uttar Pradesh                | 3225                        | 2017                     | 1208            |
| 34        | Uttarakhand                  | 293                         | 230                      | 63              |
| 35        | West Bengal                  | 1013                        | 956                      | 57              |
|           | Total                        | 22,833                      | 17,701                   | 5,132           |

***************

## Annexure-III

Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.675 for reply on 06.02.2019 State-UT wise comparative Statement of Sanctioned / Working Strength of Judges in District and Subordinate Courts in the years 2014 and 2018.

| Sl. No   | States                       | Sanctioned Strength as on 31.12.2014   | Sanctioned Strength as on 31.12.2018   | Working Strength as on 31.12.2014   | Working Strength as on 31.12.2018   |
|----------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh & Telangana   | 1034                                   | 987                                    | 884                                 | 902                                 |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh            | 16                                     | 30                                     | 15                                  | 25                                  |
| 3        | Assam                        | 403                                    | 430                                    | 312                                 | 356                                 |
| 4        | Bihar                        | 1670                                   | 1845                                   | 1027                                | 1223                                |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh                 | 354                                    | 452                                    | 302                                 | 394                                 |
| 6        | Goa                          | 52                                     | 50                                     | 40                                  | 47                                  |
| 7        | Gujarat                      | 1963                                   | 1506                                   | 1216                                | 1146                                |
| 8        | Haryana                      | 644                                    | 658                                    | 485                                 | 486                                 |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh             | 146                                    | 164                                    | 128                                 | 149                                 |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir              | 244                                    | 310                                    | 221                                 | 224                                 |
| 11       | Jharkhand                    | 578                                    | 676                                    | 382                                 | 458                                 |
| 12       | Karnataka                    | 1085                                   | 1307                                   | 832                                 | 1105                                |
| 13       | Kerala & Lakshadweep         | 447                                    | 538                                    | 431                                 | 470                                 |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh               | 1460                                   | 1872                                   | 1243                                | 1430                                |
| 15       | Maharashtra                  | 2072                                   | 2141                                   | 1784                                | 1965                                |
| 16       | Manipur                      | 40                                     | 55                                     | 30                                  | 40                                  |
| 17       | Meghalaya                    | 55                                     | 97                                     | 30                                  | 39                                  |
| 18       | Mizoram                      | 67                                     | 64                                     | 31                                  | 46                                  |
| 19       | Nagaland                     | 27                                     | 33                                     | 25                                  | 26                                  |
| 20       | Orissa                       | 690                                    | 912                                    | 569                                 | 748                                 |
| 21       | Punjab                       | 672                                    | 675                                    | 505                                 | 527                                 |
| 22       | Rajasthan                    | 1145                                   | 1372                                   | 831                                 | 1101                                |
| 23       | Sikkim                       | 18                                     | 23                                     | 15                                  | 19                                  |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu                   | 997                                    | 1159                                   | 876                                 | 896                                 |
| 25       | Tripura                      | 104                                    | 115                                    | 78                                  | 75                                  |
| 26       | Uttar Pradesh                | 2097                                   | 3225                                   | 1761                                | 2017                                |
| 27       | Uttarakhand                  | 289                                    | 293                                    | 191                                 | 230                                 |
| 28       | West Bengal and A & N Island | 994                                    | 1024                                   | 868                                 | 967                                 |
| 29       | Chandigarh                   | 30                                     | 30                                     | 30                                  | 30                                  |
| 30       | D & N Haveli and Daman & Diu | 7                                      | 6                                      | 6                                   | 6                                   |
| 31       | Delhi                        | 793                                    | 758                                    | 476                                 | 542                                 |
| 32       | Pondicherry                  | 21                                     | 26                                     | 10                                  | 12                                  |
| Total    | Total                        | 20,214                                 | 22,833                                 | 15,634                              | 17,701                              |

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