Lok Sabha Question No. 2011 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Pending Court Cases
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2011

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 03 RD  JULY, 2019.

## Pending Court Cases

2011. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

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

- (a) the details regarding the average number of cases filed and cases disposed of by the Supreme Court and the High Courts in the country;
- (b) the details regarding the number of cases which have been pending in several high courts in the country for more than last ten years;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  concrete  action  plan  to  improve  the disposal of the cases and efficacy of the system; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the success achieved as a result thereof so far?

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

## (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) : As per the information available, details of total number of cases filed and disposed of during last three years in Supreme Court are given below:

| YEAR                    | Cases filed   | Cases disposed   |
|-------------------------|---------------|------------------|
| 2016                    | 79,244        | 75,979           |
| 2017                    | 56,104        | 63,053           |
| 2018 (As on 01.12.2018) | 37,132        | 35,979           |

As per the information available, 16.01 lakh cases were disposed in High Courts the year 2016, 16.24 lakh cases were disposed in the year 2017, and 12.24 lakh cases were disposed in the year 2018 upto 30.09.2018.

- (b) : As per the information available on web-portal of National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG),
- 8.33 lakh cases are pending in various High Courts for more than ten years.

(c) & (d): Pursuant to the Joint Conference of the Chief Ministers of the States and Chief Justices of the High Courts held in 2015, where it was resolved that all High Courts would constitute Arrears Committee, the then Minister of Law and Justice had written to the Chief Justices  of  the  High  Courts  requesting  them  to  appraise  the  Government  of  the  steps being taken by them to address the issue of pendency especially regarding cases pending for more than 5 years.  As per the available information, all High Courts have established Arrears Committees.  Progress made by the High Courts in reducing pendency was taken up for consideration again in the Conference of Chief Justices of High Courts held in April 2016.  Based on the reports submitted by the Arrears Committee of various High Courts, it was, inter-alia, resolved  that  (i)  all  the  High  Courts  shall  assign  top  most  priority  for disposal of cases which are pending for more than five years; (ii) High Courts where cases are  pending  for  more  than  five  years  shall  facilitate  their  disposal  in  mission  mode;  (iii) High Court shall progressively thereafter set a target of disposing of cases for more than four  years;  (iv)  While  prioritizing  the  disposal  of  cases  pending  in  the  district  courts  for more than five years, additional incentives for the Judges of the district judiciary could be considered  where  feasible;  and  (v)  Efforts  shall  be  made  for  strengthening  case-flow management rules.  It was further resolved that the Chief Justices of the High Courts will set up a Cell / Committee for monitoring the implementation of the resolutions passed in the  Chief  Justices  Conferences  and  each  High  Court  shall  create  a  mechanism  for submitting progress report to the Supreme Court.  Accordingly, Arrears Committees are functioning in all High Courts and in District Courts.

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