Lok Sabha Question No. 285 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Settlement of Cases in Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Ashok Mahadeorao Nete

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †285 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 21 ST  JULY, 2023

## SETTLEMENT OF CASES IN COURTS

## †285. SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

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

- (a) the average number of cases settled in the Lower Courts, High Courts and the Supreme Court during the last three years, till date, year-wise/State-wise; and
- (b) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  expeditious  settlement  of  cases pending in the courts of the country?

## 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): The  detailed  statement  showing  the  number  of  cases  settled/disposed  of  by  the Supreme  Court  during  the  last  three  years  is  at ANNEXURE  I .  Further,  as  per  the information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), the year-wise statement showing  the  number  of  cases  settled/disposed  of  by  the  High  Courts  and  District  and Subordinate Courts during the last three years is at ANNEXURE II & III respectively.
- (b): Disposal of pending cases in courts is within the domain of the judiciary.  No time frame has been prescribed for disposal of various kinds of cases by the respective courts. Government has no direct role in disposal of cases in courts. Timely disposal of cases in

courts  depends  on  several  factors  which,  inter-alia,  include  availability  of  adequate number of judges and judicial officers, 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.  There  are  several  factors  which  may  lead  to  delay  in  disposal  of  cases. These, inter-alia, include vacancies of judges, frequent adjournments and lack of adequate arrangement to monitor, track and bunch cases for hearing.

The Central Government is fully committed to speedy disposal of cases and to reducing pendency. To this end, the Government has taken multiple initiatives the details of which are as under:-

National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms was set  up in August, 2011 with the twin objectives of increasing access by reducing delays and arrears in the system and enhancing accountability through structural changes and by setting performance  standards  and  capacities.    The  Mission  has  been  pursuing  a  co-ordinated approach for phased liquidation of arrears and pendency in judicial administration, which, inter-alia, involves better infrastructure for courts including computerization, increase in strength  of  subordinate  judiciary,  policy  and  legislative  measures  in  the  areas  prone  to excessive  litigation,  re-engineering  of  court  procedure  for  quick  disposal  of  cases  and emphasis on human resource development.

- i. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Judicial Infrastructure, funds are being released  to  States/UTs  for  construction  of  court  halls,  residential  quarters  for judicial officers, lawyers' halls, toilet complexes and digital computer rooms that would ease the life of lawyers and litigants, thereby aiding justice delivery. As on date,  Rs.  10035  crores  have  been  released  since  the  inception  of  the  Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  (CSS)  for  Development  of  Infrastructure  Facilities  for  the Judiciary in 1993-94. The number of court halls has increased from 15,818 as on 30.06.2014  to  21,365  as  on  30.06.2023,  and  number  of  residential  units  has

increased from 10,211 as on 30.06.2014 to 18,846 as on 30.06.2023, under this scheme.

- ii. Further under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, information and communication technology (ICT) has been leveraged for IT enablement of district and subordinate courts. The number of computerised district & subordinate courts has increased to 18,735 so far. WAN connectivity has been provided to 99.4% of court  complexes.    Video  conferencing  facility  has  been  enabled  between  3,240 court  complexes  and  1,272  corresponding  jails. 815 e-Sewa Kendras  have been set  up  at  court  complexes  to  facilitate  lawyers  and  litigants  needing  assistance ranging from case status, getting judgments/orders, court/case-related information,  and  efiling  facilities.  22  virtual  courts  have  been  set  up  in  18 States/UTs. As on 31.05.2023, these courts have handled more than 3.113 crore cases and realized more than Rs. 408 crores in fines. E-courts Phase III is about to begin which intends to incorporate latest technology such Artificial Intelligence(AI) and Block chain to make justice delivery more robust, easy and accessible to all the stakeholders.
- iii. Government has been regularly filling up the vacancies in higher judiciary. From 01.05.2014 to 10.07.2023, 56 Judges were appointed in Supreme Court. 919 new Judges were appointed and 653 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  1114  currently.  sanctioned  and  working  strength  of judicial officers in district and subordinate courts has increased as follow:

| As on      | Sanctioned Strength   | Working Strength   |
|------------|-----------------------|--------------------|
| 31.12.2013 | 19,518                | 15,115             |
| 14.07.2023 | 25,246                | 19,858             |

However,  filling  up  of  vacancies  in  subordinate  judiciary  falls  within  the domain of the State Governments and high courts concerned.

- iv. In pursuance of a Resolution passed in Chief Justices' Conference held in April, 2015, Arrears Committees have been set up in all 25 High Courts to clear cases

pending for more than five  years.   Arrears  Committees  have  been  set  up  under District courts as well.

- v. Under  the  aegis  of    the  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission,  the  government  has established  Fast  Track  Courts  for  dealing  with  cases  of  heinous  crimes;  cases involving senior citizens, women, children etc. As on 31.05.2023, 832 Fast Track Courts are functional for heinous crimes, crimes against women, and children etc. To  fast  track  criminal  cases  involving  elected  MPs  /  MLAs,  ten  (10)  Special Courts are functional in nine (9) States/UTs. Further, the central government has approved a scheme for setting up 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country for the expeditious disposal of pending cases of Rape under IPC and crimes under POCSO Act. As on date, 28 States/UTs have joined the scheme.
- vi. With a view to reduce pendency and unclogging of the courts, the Government has recently amended various laws like the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Commercial Courts (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Specific Relief (Amendment)  Act,  2018,  the  Arbitration  and  Conciliation  (Amendment)  Act, 2019 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2018.
- vii. Alternate  Dispute  Resolution  methods  have  been  promoted  whole  heartedly. Accordingly,  the  Commercial  Courts  Act,  2015  was  amended  on  20th  August, 2018 making Pre-institution Mediation and Settlement (PIMS)  mandatory in case 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.
- viii. Lok Adalat is an important Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanism available to common people. It is a forum where the disputes/ cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.  Under the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, an award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal lies against thereto before any court. Lok Adalat is not a permanent

establishment.  National Lok Adalats are organized simultaneously in all Taluks, Districts and High Courts on a pre-fixed date. The details of the case disposed off in Lok Adalats during the last three years are as under:-

| Years                  | Pre-litigation Cases   | Pending Cases   | Grand Total   |
|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------|---------------|
| 2021                   | 72,06,294              | 55,81,743       | 1,27,88,037   |
| 2022                   | 3,10,15,215            | 1,09,10,795     | 4,19,26,010   |
| 2023 (upto 17.06.2023) | 3,00,11,291            | 61,88,686       | 3,61,99,977   |
| Total                  | 6,82,32,800            | 2,26,81,224     | 9,09,14,024   |

- ix. The Government launched the Tele-Law programme in 2017, which provided an effective and reliable e-interface platform connecting the needy and disadvantaged sections seeking legal advice and consultation with panel lawyers via  video  conferencing,  telephone  and  chat  facilities  available  at  the  Common Service Centres (CSCs) situated in Gram Panchayat and through Tele-Law mobile App.
- x. Efforts  have  been  made  to  institutionalize  pro  bono  culture  and  pro  bono lawyering the country. A technological framework has been put in place where advocates  volunteering  to  give  their  time  and  services  for  pro  bono  work  can register  as  Pro  Bono  Advocates on Nyaya Bandhu (Android & iOS and Apps). Nyaya Bandhu Services also available on UMANG Platform. Pro Bono Panel of

*Percentage Wise break-up of Tele - Law Data

| Till 28th Feb, 2023   | Cases Registered    | %Wise Break Up      | Advice Enabled      | %Wise Break Up      |
|-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Gender Wise           | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         | Gender Wise         |
| Female                | 15,75,140           | 34.38               | 15,35,775           | 34.39               |
| Male                  | 30,06,772           | 65.62               | 29,30,601           | 65.61               |
| Caste Category Wise   | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise | Caste Category Wise |
| General               | 9,82,636            | 21.45               | 9,52,773            | 21.33               |
| OBC                   | 13,28,505           | 28.99               | 12,93,153           | 28.95               |
| SC                    | 14,88,971           | 32.50               | 14,53,283           | 32.54               |
| ST                    | 7,81,800            | 17.065              | 7,67,167            | 17.18               |
| Total                 | 45,81,912           |                     | 44,66,376           |                     |

advocates have been initiated in 21 High Courts at the State level. Pro Bono Clubs have been started in 69 select Laws Schools to instill Pro Bono culture in budding lawyers.

********

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (A)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †285 FOR ANSWER ON 21.07.2023 REGARDING 'SETTLEMENT OF CASES IN COURTS'.

Detailed Statement showing disposal of cases by Supreme Court of India in the last 3 years and current year (till 15 th  July, 2023).

|   Sl. No. | Year                   | No. of Cases disposed during the year   |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|         1 | 2020                   | 20,670                                  |
|         2 | 2021                   | 24,586                                  |
|         3 | 2022                   | 36,436                                  |
|         4 | 2023 (till 15.07.2023) | 25,959                                  |

Source: Supreme Court of India, Integrated Case Management Information System (ICMIS).

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  †285    FOR  ANSWER  ON  21.07.2023  REGARDING  'SETTLEMENT  OF CASES IN COURTS'.

| Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   | Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   | Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   | Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   | Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   | Detailed Statement showing High Court-wise disposal   |
|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                | Name of High Court                                    | No. of cases                                          | No. of cases                                          | No. of cases                                          | No. of cases                                          |
| S. No.                                                | Name of High Court                                    | Year 2020                                             | Year 2021                                             | Year 2022                                             | Year 2023 (till 17.07.2023)                           |
| 1                                                     | Allahabad                                             | 146395                                                | 181493                                                | 195534                                                | 84077                                                 |
| 2                                                     | Bombay                                                | 58447                                                 | 92224                                                 | 85337                                                 | 28539                                                 |
| 3                                                     | Calcutta                                              | 25001                                                 | 38588                                                 | 51070                                                 | 20594                                                 |
| 4                                                     | Gauhati                                               | 15782                                                 | 18699                                                 | 19521                                                 | 7645                                                  |
| 5                                                     | Telangana                                             | 22818                                                 | 33628                                                 | 41804                                                 | 14030                                                 |
| 6                                                     | Andhra Pradesh                                        | 22613                                                 | 28310                                                 | 36224                                                 | 9603                                                  |
| 7                                                     | Chhattisgarh                                          | 22560                                                 | 25717                                                 | 28875                                                 | 11662                                                 |
| 8                                                     | Delhi                                                 | 22099                                                 | 27514                                                 | 28584                                                 | 10425                                                 |
| 9                                                     | Gujarat                                               | 46370                                                 | 54048                                                 | 59008                                                 | 22735                                                 |
| 10                                                    | Himachal Pradesh                                      | 26128                                                 | 26648                                                 | 29862                                                 | 11402                                                 |
| 11                                                    | Jammu and Kashmir                                     | 5920                                                  | 7069                                                  | 5236                                                  | 1656                                                  |
| 12                                                    | Jharkhand                                             | 28030                                                 | 34859                                                 | 32365                                                 | 8724                                                  |
| 13                                                    | Karnataka                                             | 35192                                                 | 43772                                                 | 39381                                                 | 11382                                                 |
| 14                                                    | Kerala                                                | 44575                                                 | 26833                                                 | 18577                                                 | 8623                                                  |
| 15                                                    | Madhya Pradesh                                        | 77909                                                 | 95366                                                 | 91342                                                 | 37280                                                 |
| 16                                                    | Manipur                                               | 1368                                                  | 1879                                                  | 2112                                                  | 560                                                   |
| 17                                                    | Meghalaya                                             | 957                                                   | 996                                                   | 1000                                                  | 412                                                   |
| 18                                                    | Punjab and Haryana                                    | 77193                                                 | 91034                                                 | 91718                                                 | 32016                                                 |
| 19                                                    | Rajasthan                                             | 88872                                                 | 104576                                                | 101670                                                | 33631                                                 |
| 20                                                    | Sikkim                                                | 128                                                   | 143                                                   | 89                                                    | 21                                                    |
| 21                                                    | Tripura                                               | 2158                                                  | 2058                                                  | 1888                                                  | 537                                                   |
| 22                                                    | Uttarakhand                                           | 10046                                                 | 11266                                                 | 11763                                                 | 4675                                                  |
| 23                                                    | Madras                                                | 153158                                                | 187017                                                | 214763                                                | 96796                                                 |
| 24                                                    | Orissa                                                | 74458                                                 | 115197                                                | 85049                                                 | 33673                                                 |
| 25                                                    | Patna                                                 | 51089                                                 | 88726                                                 | 83942                                                 | 32640                                                 |
| Total                                                 | Total                                                 | 10,59,266                                             | 13,37,660                                             | 13,56,714                                             | 5,23,338                                              |

*Source: National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED

## QUESTION  NO.  †285    FOR  ANSWER  ON  21.07.2023  REGARDING  'SETTLEMENT  OF CASES IN COURTS'.

Detailed Statement showing State-wise disposal of cases for last 3 year(s) 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023(till 17 th July, 2023)*

| S.No   | Name of the State   | No. of cases disposed   | No. of cases disposed   | No. of cases disposed   | No. of cases disposed       |
|--------|---------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|
| S.No   | Name of the State   | Year 2020               | Year 2021               | Year 2022               | Year 2023 (till 17.07.2023) |
| 1      | Uttar Pradesh       | 1606083                 | 2527703                 | 3698994                 | 2022823                     |
| 2      | Maharashtra         | 256229                  | 1188934                 | 1553069                 | 860415                      |
| 3      | Bihar               | 611536                  | 386816                  | 635678                  | 385177                      |
| 4      | West Bengal         | 233658                  | 365242                  | 608746                  | 279727                      |
| 5      | Rajasthan           | 453978                  | 723598                  | 1048909                 | 525877                      |
| 6      | Madhya Pradesh      | 94418                   | 201984                  | 916960                  | 480141                      |
| 7      | Karnataka           | 312127                  | 742786                  | 305772                  | 825773                      |
| 8      | Kerala              | 422946                  | 746005                  | 958382                  | 577040                      |
| 9      | Odisha              | 862533                  | 1774039                 | 1655931                 | 145314                      |
| 10     | Gujarat             | 385729                  | 1408146                 | 1409917                 | 789238                      |
| 11     | Haryana             | 681104                  | 1264515                 | 686311                  | 227895                      |
| 12     | Tamil Nadu          | 216988                  | 402207                  | 2077873                 | 1408796                     |
| 13     | Delhi               | 223606                  | 307406                  | 496401                  | 335617                      |
| 14     | Telangana           | 125743                  | 320170                  | 625526                  | 208736                      |
| 15     | Punjab              | 169334                  | 260624                  | 712985                  | 436595                      |
| 16     | Andhra Pradesh      | 182422                  | 481684                  | 522831                  | 264751                      |
| 17     | Jharkhand           | 278998                  | 216603                  | 348352                  | 219438                      |
| 18     | Himachal Pradesh    | 56692                   | 313541                  | 274206                  | 223251                      |
| 19     | Assam               | 167376                  | 119821                  | 459938                  | 151416                      |
| 20     | Chhattisgarh        | 88471                   | 206262                  | 193003                  | 170702                      |
| 21     | Jammu and Kashmir   | 68643                   | 137985                  | 149899                  | 73786                       |
| 22     | Uttarakhand         | 87130                   | 134773                  | 185619                  | 101480                      |
| 23     | Chandigarh          | 14170                   | 30889                   | 31293                   | 12136                       |
| 24     | Goa                 | 10050                   | 17228                   | 28545                   | 15868                       |
| 25     | Tripura             | 14381                   | 25772                   | 38468                   | 19493                       |
| 26     | Puducherry          | 11100                   | 36004                   | 38083                   | 18987                       |
| 27     | Meghalaya           | 3155                    | 8840                    | 15902                   | 8267                        |
| 28     | Manipur             | 1921                    | 2197                    | 1162                    | 6286                        |
| 29     | Andaman and Nicobar | 7831                    | 8512                    | 16718                   | 332                         |
| 30     | Mizoram             | 2950                    | 4386                    | 5922                    | 917                         |
| 31     | DNH at Silvasa      | 905                     | 1686                    | 2107                    | 858                         |
| 32     | Nagaland            | 273                     | 476                     | 816                     | 275                         |
| 33     | Diu and Daman       | 1126                    | 2035                    | 2069                    | 807                         |
| 34     | Sikkim              | 0                       | 0                       | 40                      | 1718                        |
| 35     | Arunachal Pradesh   | 456                     | 3094                    | 3753                    | 280                         |
| 36     | Ladakh              | 2040                    | 1007                    | 1336                    | 839                         |
| Total  | Total               | 76,56,102               | 1,43,72,970             | 1,97,11,516             | 1,08,01,051                 |

*Source: National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG)