Lok Sabha Question No. 3424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Fast Track Courts and Gram Nyayalayas
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Biplab Kumar Deb

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3424 ANSWERED ON - 08/08/2025

## FAST TRACK COURTS AND GRAM NYAYALAYAS

## †3424 . SHRI BIPLAB KUMAR DEB:

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

- (a) whether a large number of cases are pending in various courts despite initiatives such as the setting up of Fast Track Courts and Gram Nyayalayas across the country;
- (b) if so, the number of cases disposed of as well as those pending to date since the establishment of Fast Track Courts and Gram Nyayalayas;
- (c) the number of cases disposed of by Fast Track Courts and Gram Nyayalayas in the State of Tripura in the last five years; and
- (d) whether the Government proposes to establish more courts and appoint additional judges to expedite the clearance of pending cases, if so, the details thereof, and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

## (a): As per information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), the details of pending cases in the Supreme Court, High Courts and subordinate Courts as on 28.07.2025 are as under:

|   Sl. No. | Name of Court                   | Pending Cases   |
|-----------|---------------------------------|-----------------|
|         1 | Supreme Court                   | 86,844          |
|         2 | High Courts                     | 63,32,256       |
|         3 | District and Subordinate Courts | 4,66,69,624     |

(b) and (c): The Fast Track Courts (FTCs) for providing speedy justice are set up by the States/UTs, as  per  their  need  and  resources,  in  consultation  with  their  respective  High  Courts.  The  14 th Finance Commission had recommended for setting up of 1800 Fast Track Courts (FTCs) during the period 20152020 for speedy trial of cases of heinous crime, civil cases related to women, children, senior citizens, disabled persons, persons infected with terminal ailments etc. and property related cases pending for more than 5 years. As per data uploaded by the High Courts on MIS portal, 865 FTCs are functional

across 21 States/UTs with a pendency of 14,38,198 cases as on 30.06.2025. These courts have disposed of 33,92,281 cases during the period from January 2023 to June 2025, including 579 cases in the State of Tripura.

Further, pursuant to the enactment of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and in compliance with the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Suo Motu Writ (Criminal) No. 1/2019, the Central Government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts since October 2019. These courts are dedicated to the time-bound trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and crimes under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. As of 30.06.2025, 725 FTSCs, including 392 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts are functional in 29 States/UTs with a pendency of 2,00,349 cases. These courts have disposed of 3,34,213 cases since the inception of the Scheme till 30.06.2025, including 489 cases in the State of Tripura.

Gram Nyayalayas have been established under the Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 with the objective of  providing  accessible,  affordable,  and  expeditious  justice  to  the  citizens  at  the  grassroots  level, particularly in rural areas. As per available information, 488 Gram Nyayalayas have been notified across 15 States, out of which 331 are currently operational in 11 States. As per data available on the Gram Nyayalaya Portal, 4,11,071 cases have been disposed of by the Gram Nyayalayas during the period from December, 2020 to June, 2025. However, no Gram Nyayalaya is notified or functional in the State of Tripura.

(d): At present there is no complete proposal pending with the Government to establish any High Court.  Appointment  of  the  Judges  of  the  Constitutional  Courts  is  a  continuous,  integrated  and collaborative process between the Executive and the Judiciary. It requires consultation and approval from various constitutional authorities both at state and central level.  Appointments of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts are governed by Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution. The procedure  for  appointment  of  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  High  Courts  is  laid  down  in  the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) prepared in 1998 pursuant to the Supreme Court Judgment of October 6, 1993 (Second Judges case) read with their Advisory Opinion of October 28, 1998 (Third Judges case). As per the MoP, initiation of proposal for appointment of Judges in the Supreme Court vests with the Chief Justice of India and initiation of proposal for appointment of Judges in the High Courts vests with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court. Only those persons are appointed as Judges of High Courts and the Supreme Court who are recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium.

The primary responsibility of setting up of District and Subordinate Courts falls within the domain of  the  State/UT  in  consultation  with  the  respective  High  Courts,  as  per  its  need  and  availability  of resources. As regards the recruitment of judges and staff in courts, filling up of vacant positions of the judicial officers in District and Subordinate courts is the responsibility of the State Governments and the concerned High Courts. As per the Constitutional framework, in exercise of powers conferred under proviso  to  Article  309  read  with  Articles  233  and  234  of  the  Constitution,  the  respective  State Government  in  consultation  with  the  High  Court  frames  the  rules  and  regulations  regarding  the appointment and recruitment of Judicial Officers. Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order passed in January 2007  in  the  Malik  Mazhar  Sultan  case,  has  inter-alia,  stipulated  certain  timelines,  which  are  to  be followed  by  the  States  and  the  respective  High  Courts  for  recruitment  of  judges  in  District  and Subordinate Courts.

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