Lok Sabha Question No. 1335 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Number of Judges per Million Population
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Midhun Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1335 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 9 TH  FEBRUARY, 2024

## NUMBER OF JUDGES PER MILLION POPULATION

## 1335. SHRI P.V. MIDHUN REDDY:

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

- (a) the number of Judges per million of population in the country, State-wise;
- (b) the number of Judges per million as suggested by the Supreme Court; and
- (c) the steps being taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to comply with the  order  passed  by  the  Supreme  Court  including  the  funds  required  for  the purpose?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a): At  present,  the  judge  -  population  ratio  in  the  country  works  out  to  be approximately 21 Judges per million population. In order to calculate the judgepopulation ratio for per million population in a particular year, the Ministry of Law and Justice uses the criterion based  on  the  population  data  as  per  Census 2011 (1210.19 million) and the sanctioned strength of Judges in Supreme Court, High Court and District & Subordinate Courts in the year 2023.

However,  the  State-wise  list  of  Judges  per  million  population  is  not Centrally maintained.

- (b): The Supreme Court of India , in the case of Imtiyaz Ahmed versus State of Uttar Pradesh [(2017) 3 SCC 658], had observed that its judgement delivered on 21.03.2022 in All  India  Judges'  Assn.(3)v.  Union  of  India while  endorsing  the

views of the Law Commissions 120 th  Report directed that a Judge to Population ratio of fifty Judges per million be achieved. Similar observations were made in cases such as P. Ramachandra Rao vs. State of Karnataka (2002) 4SCC 478 and Brij Mohal Lal vs. Union of India (2002) 5 SCC 1.

(c): In so far as suggested increase in number of Judges per million and funds required for this purpose are concerned, the appointment of Judges in the higher judiciary  is  a  continuous  and  collaborative  exercise  between  the  Executive  and Judiciary.  Further,  in  case  of  District  and  Subordinate  courts,  the  need  for appropriate number of judges and the consequent requirement for filling up of the vacancies lies in the domain of respective High Courts and the State Governments.

However, due to consistent efforts, there has been a marked increase in the  judges'  strength  with  the  sanctioned  strength  of  Judges  of  Supreme  Court being increased from 31 in year 2014 to 34 Judges with no vacancy at present. Since May 2014, the Government has appointed 62 Supreme Court Judges which comes to around 6 Judges in a year.

In case of High Courts, the sanctioned strength of High Court Judges has increased from 906 in year 2014 to 1114 Judges, as on 31.12.2023, with a total of 208 new posts of High Court Judges being created since year 2014. A total of 968 High Court Judges have been appointed since year 2014 which comes to around 103 Judges a year.

The  District  Judiciary's  sanctioned  strength  has  increased  from  19,518 judicial  officers  in  the  year  2014  to  25,439  judicial  officers,  as  on  31.12.2023. Similarly, the working strength of Judges has also increased from 15,115 in year 2014 to 20,011 judicial officers as on 31.12.2023.

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