Lok Sabha Question No. 3507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: Pending cases in Supreme Court
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: D. M. Kathir Anand, Prathap Simha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3507 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 17 TH   MARCH, 2021

## PENDING CASES IN SUPREME COURT

## 3507. SHRI D. M. KATHIR ANAND:

## SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to s tate:

- (a) the total number of cases pending with the Supreme Court of India along with the measures taken to effectively dispose off the cases;
- (b)  the  existing  ratio  of  judges  in  comparison  to  cases  and  whether  the Government  is  taking  any  measures  to  increase  the  number  of  judges  in Supreme Court; and
- (c) if so, details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a):     As on 01.03.2021, total number of cases pending with the Supreme Court is 66,727. Various measures have been taken by the Supreme Court from time to time to effectively dispose of the cases including during corona virus pandemic while adhering to the Covid protocol norms notified by the Government. Hearing of the matters is being done through video conferencing mode. Considering the special circumstances due to the pandemic, the summer vacation of the Supreme Court for seven  weeks  was  curtailed  to  two  weeks  only  and  five  weeks  were  declared working  weeks.  Even  during  the  vacation  of  two  weeks,  Vacation  Bench  was constituted for hearing urgent  matters. Further, in order to reduce the number of pending  cases,  miscellaneous  weeks  for  listing  only  fresh  admission  cases  etc. were declared from time to time so that maximum number of cases could be listed. An Arrrears Committee has been constituted at the  Supreme  Court  to  formulate steps to reduce pendency of cases.

Disposal of cases in courts is within the domain of the 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.

The Government is, however, fully committed to speedy disposal of cases. The Government  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  provide  an  ecosystem  for  faster disposal of cases by the judiciary.  The National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms established by the Government has adopted a coordinated approach for phased liquidation of arrears and pendency in judicial administration through various strategic initiatives, including improving infrastructure for courts, leveraging Information and Communication Technology for better justice delivery, and filling up of vacant positions of Judges in High Courts and Supreme Court.

(b) & (c): The existing ratio of judges in comparison to cases in Supreme Court is 1:2301. The Chief Justice of India had requested the Government in June, 2019 to consider  augmenting  the  Judge-strength  in  the  Supreme  Court  appropriately. Though  there  has  been  no  criteria  for  fixing  the  judge  strength  of  the  Supreme Court, in view of the number of cases pending disposal, an increase in the judge strength  was  considered  by  Government.  The  sanctioned  strength  of  Supreme Court of India has been increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the Chief Justice of India) w.e.f 09.08.2019 vide GOI notification.

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