Lok Sabha Question No. 3501 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Pendency of Cases in Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3501 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 13 TH  MARCH, 2026

## PENDENCY OF CASES IN COURTS

## 3501.  MS. S JOTHIMANI:

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

- (a)  the  current  number  of  the  pending  cases  in  the  Supreme  Court,  various  High  Courts  and District and Subordinate Courts, State-wise and category-wise;
- (b) the total number of sanctioned versus vacant judicial positions in the Supreme Court and each High  Court,  as  well  as  in  the  subordinate  judiciary  and  the  average  time  taken  to  make appointments;
- (c) whether delays in judicial appointments and transfers have contributed to pendency of cases and if so, the steps being taken to streamline the appointment process;
- (d)  the  present  status  of  judicial  infrastructure  in  High  Courts  and  District  Courts,  including digitalisation, courtroom availability and basic facilities; and
- (e) whether the Government has proposed or approved any expansion of Fast Track Courts or specialized courts, particularly for cases relating to women, children and vulnerable groups and if so, the details thereof?

## 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): The current number of pending cases in the Supreme Court, High Courts and District and Subordinate Courts, State-wise and category wise are at Annexure I & II.
- (b) & (c): The total number of sanctioned versus vacant judicial positions in the Supreme Court and each High Court, as well as in the subordinate judiciary are at Annexure III & IV .

Pendency of cases in courts arise due to several factors which inter alia, include complexity of the  facts  involved,  nature  of  evidence,  co-operation  of  stakeholders,  viz.,  bar,  investigation agencies,  witness  and  litigants,  besides  the  availability  of  physical  infrastructure,  supporting court staff, etc.

Appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts is made under Articles 124, 217 and  224  of  the  Constitution  of  India  and  according  to  the  procedure  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,  the  responsibility  for initiation of proposals  for appointment  of  Judges  in  the  Supreme  Court  vests  with  the  Chief  Justice  of  India,  while  the responsibility for initiation of proposals for appointment of Judges in the High Courts vests with the  Chief  Justice  of  the  concerned  High  Court,  in  consultation  with  two  senior-most  puisne Judges of the High Court.

Filling  up  of  the  vacancy  in  the  higher  Judiciary  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  which  are  obtained  in accordance with the MoP. The recommendations also have to be considered in the light of such other reports as may be available to the Government in respect of the names under consideration. The recommendations of the High Court Collegium, the State Governments and the Government of  India  are  then  forwarded  to  the  Supreme  Court  Collegium  (SCC)  for  advice.  Only  those persons whose names have been recommended by the SCC are appointed as Judges of the High Courts.

Further, filling up of vacant positions of the judicial officers in District and Subordinate courts is the responsibility of the High Courts and State Governments concerned. As per the Constitutional framework, in exercise of powers conferred under the 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.  The 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.

(d): The primary responsibility for the development of infrastructure facilities for District and Subordinate  Courts  in  the  States/UTs,  rests  with  the  State/UT  Governments.  However,  to augment  the  resources  of  the  State  /UT  Governments,  the  Union  Government  has  been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Development of Infrastructure Facilities for District and Subordinate Courts by providing financial assistance to the State/UT Governments in the prescribed fund sharing between Center and States since 1993-94. As on 28.02.2026, there are 22,712  Court  Halls and 20,052  Residential  Units available  in  District  and  Subordinate Courts. The Phase-III of the eCourts Project (2023-2027) approved on 13.09.2023 with an outlay of Rs.7,210 crore to make justice delivery progressively more robust, easy and accessible. Till date, 660.36 crores pages of court records have been digitized in the High Courts and District Courts.  More  than  3.97  crore  hearings  have  taken  place  through  Video  conferencing  and  live streaming  is  functional  in  several  High  Courts.  The  number  of  e  Sewa  Kendsras  (facilitation centres) has increased to 2,444 across High Courts and District Courts.

(e): Under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  namely  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs) Scheme, 774 Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs)  including  398  exclusive  POCSO  (ePOCSO) Courts are functional across 29 States/UTs for the expeditious disposal of pending cases of Rape and POCSO Act, and have collectively disposed of 3,66,124 cases since their inception, as on 31.12.2025.  The financial outlay under the scheme is Rs. 1952.23 crore with Rs. 1207.24 crore as  Central  Share  to  be  incurred  from  Nirbhaya  Fund  on  the  CSS  pattern.  The  Central Government, as on 02.03.2026, has released a total amount of Rs. 1,210.92 crore to States/UTs for the operationalization of FTSCs since the inception of the Scheme in 2019.

*****

## ANNEXURE-I STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (A)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3501 FOR ANSWER ON 13.03.2026 REGARDING 'PENDENCY OF CASES IN

## COURTS'

| Pendency of cases in Supreme Court of India and High Courts, category-wise   | Pendency of cases in Supreme Court of India and High Courts, category-wise   | Pendency of cases in Supreme Court of India and High Courts, category-wise   | Pendency of cases in Supreme Court of India and High Courts, category-wise   | Pendency of cases in Supreme Court of India and High Courts, category-wise   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                              |                                                                              | Civil                                                                        | Criminal                                                                     | Total                                                                        |
| Supreme Court of India                                                       | Supreme Court of India                                                       | 73,056                                                                       | 19,699                                                                       | 92,755                                                                       |
| S. No.                                                                       | Name of High Court                                                           |                                                                              |                                                                              |                                                                              |
| 1                                                                            | Allahabad High Court                                                         | 6,17,265                                                                     | 5,76,081                                                                     | 11,93,346                                                                    |
| 2                                                                            | Bombay High Court                                                            | 5,46,634                                                                     | 1,15,416                                                                     | 6,62,050                                                                     |
| 3                                                                            | Calcutta High Court                                                          | 172454                                                                       | 32179                                                                        | 204633                                                                       |
| 4                                                                            | Gauhati High Court                                                           | 47,555                                                                       | 16,954                                                                       | 64,509                                                                       |
| 5                                                                            | High Court for State of Telangana                                            | 2,04,131                                                                     | 32,376                                                                       | 2,36,507                                                                     |
| 6                                                                            | High Court of Andhra Pradesh                                                 | 2,06,581                                                                     | 42,278                                                                       | 2,48,859                                                                     |
| 7                                                                            | High Court Of Chhattisgarh                                                   | 52,888                                                                       | 22,463                                                                       | 75,351                                                                       |
| 8                                                                            | High Court of Delhi                                                          | 93,069                                                                       | 32,893                                                                       | 1,25,962                                                                     |
| 9                                                                            | High Court of Gujarat                                                        | 1,16,691                                                                     | 57,849                                                                       | 1,74,540                                                                     |
| 10                                                                           | High Court of Himachal Pradesh                                               | 90,576                                                                       | 13,542                                                                       | 1,04,118                                                                     |
| 11                                                                           | High Court of Jammu and Kashmir                                              | 33,869                                                                       | 9,321                                                                        | 43,190                                                                       |
| 12                                                                           | High Court of Jharkhand                                                      | 32,269                                                                       | 40,890                                                                       | 73,159                                                                       |
| 13                                                                           | High Court of Karnataka                                                      | 2,74,093                                                                     | 57,016                                                                       | 3,31,109                                                                     |
| 14                                                                           | High Court of Kerala                                                         | 2,00,587                                                                     | 47,131                                                                       | 2,47,718                                                                     |
| 15                                                                           | High Court of Madhya Pradesh                                                 | 2,83,994                                                                     | 1,94,767                                                                     | 4,78,761                                                                     |
| 16                                                                           | High Court of Manipur                                                        | 51,40                                                                        | 891                                                                          | 6,031                                                                        |
| 17                                                                           | High Court of Meghalaya                                                      | 1,351                                                                        | 432                                                                          | 1,783                                                                        |
| 18                                                                           | High Court of Punjab and Haryana                                             | 2,55,401                                                                     | 1,65,653                                                                     | 4,21,054                                                                     |
| 19                                                                           | High Court of Rajasthan                                                      | 4,79,427                                                                     | 1,92,415                                                                     | 6,71,842                                                                     |
| 20                                                                           | High Court of Sikkim                                                         | 208                                                                          | 88                                                                           | 296                                                                          |
| 21                                                                           | High Court of Tripura                                                        | 1,106                                                                        | 283                                                                          | 1,389                                                                        |
| 22                                                                           | High Court of Uttarakhand                                                    | 33,735                                                                       | 27,092                                                                       | 60,827                                                                       |
| 23                                                                           | Madras High Court                                                            | 4,77,589                                                                     | 75,555                                                                       | 5,53,144                                                                     |
| 24                                                                           | Orissa High Court                                                            | 1,22,040                                                                     | 41,487                                                                       | 1,63,527                                                                     |
| 25                                                                           | Patna High Court                                                             | 1,14,535                                                                     | 1,03,100                                                                     | 2,17,635                                                                     |
|                                                                              | Total                                                                        | 44,63,188                                                                    | 18,98,152                                                                    | 63,61,340                                                                    |

Source: National Judicial Data Grid as on 09-03-2026

## ANNEXURE-II STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (A)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3501  FOR  ANSWER  ON  13.03.2026  REGARDING  'PENDENCY  OF  CASES  IN

## COURTS'

| Pendency of cases in District &Subordinate Courts, state-wise and category-wise   | Pendency of cases in District &Subordinate Courts, state-wise and category-wise   | Pendency of cases in District &Subordinate Courts, state-wise and category-wise   | Pendency of cases in District &Subordinate Courts, state-wise and category-wise   | Pendency of cases in District &Subordinate Courts, state-wise and category-wise   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr No.                                                                            | State                                                                             | Civil                                                                             | Criminal                                                                          | Total                                                                             |
| 1                                                                                 | Andaman and Nicobar                                                               | 4,031                                                                             | 4,501                                                                             | 8,532                                                                             |
| 2                                                                                 | Andhra Pradesh                                                                    | 4,36,522                                                                          | 5,11,287                                                                          | 9,47,809                                                                          |
| 3                                                                                 | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                 | 3,621                                                                             | 12,145                                                                            | 15,766                                                                            |
| 4                                                                                 | Assam                                                                             | 1,13,792                                                                          | 4,63,784                                                                          | 5,77,576                                                                          |
| 5                                                                                 | Bihar                                                                             | 5,38,592                                                                          | 31,77,552                                                                         | 37,16,144                                                                         |
| 6                                                                                 | Chandigarh                                                                        | 22,839                                                                            | 78,400                                                                            | 1,01,239                                                                          |
| 7                                                                                 | Chhattisgarh                                                                      | 87,413                                                                            | 4,03,750                                                                          | 4,91,163                                                                          |
| 8                                                                                 | Delhi                                                                             | 2,17,341                                                                          | 13,83,042                                                                         | 16,00,383                                                                         |
| 9                                                                                 | Goa                                                                               | 28,169                                                                            | 33,820                                                                            | 61,989                                                                            |
| 10                                                                                | Gujarat                                                                           | 3,25,786                                                                          | 16,41,937                                                                         | 19,67,723                                                                         |
| 11                                                                                | Haryana                                                                           | 4,27,948                                                                          | 11,12,559                                                                         | 15,40,507                                                                         |
| 12                                                                                | Himachal Pradesh                                                                  | 1,78,567                                                                          | 4,43,609                                                                          | 6,22,176                                                                          |
| 13                                                                                | Jammu and Kashmir                                                                 | 1,19,520                                                                          | 2,32,165                                                                          | 3,51,685                                                                          |
| 14                                                                                | Jharkhand                                                                         | 96,274                                                                            | 4,74,955                                                                          | 5,71,229                                                                          |
| 15                                                                                | Karnataka                                                                         | 10,56,085                                                                         | 13,34,144                                                                         | 23,90,229                                                                         |
| 16                                                                                | Kerala                                                                            | 5,41,843                                                                          | 12,59,672                                                                         | 18,01,515                                                                         |
| 17                                                                                | Ladakh                                                                            | 789                                                                               | 842                                                                               | 1,631                                                                             |
| 18                                                                                | Lakshadweep                                                                       | 151                                                                               | 406                                                                               | 557                                                                               |
| 19                                                                                | Madhya Pradesh                                                                    | 4,26,046                                                                          | 16,91,148                                                                         | 21,17,194                                                                         |
| 20                                                                                | Maharashtra                                                                       | 17,66,653                                                                         | 43,10,083                                                                         | 6,076,736                                                                         |
| 21                                                                                | Manipur                                                                           | 9,157                                                                             | 4,938                                                                             | 14,095                                                                            |
| 22                                                                                | Meghalaya                                                                         | 4,917                                                                             | 4,917                                                                             | 16,671                                                                            |
| 23                                                                                | Mizoram                                                                           | 4,028                                                                             | 3,319                                                                             | 7,347                                                                             |
| 24                                                                                | Nagaland                                                                          | 1,043                                                                             | 2,876                                                                             | 3,919                                                                             |
| 25                                                                                | Odisha                                                                            | 2,69,938                                                                          | 15,47,258                                                                         | 18,17,196                                                                         |
| 26                                                                                | Puducherry                                                                        | 11,757                                                                            | 24,657                                                                            | 36,414                                                                            |
| 27                                                                                | Punjab                                                                            | 3,63,976                                                                          | 6,08,245                                                                          | 9,72,221                                                                          |
| 28                                                                                | Rajasthan                                                                         | 5,14,668                                                                          | 21,62,933                                                                         | 26,77,601                                                                         |
| 29                                                                                | Sikkim                                                                            | 933                                                                               | 1,339                                                                             | 2,272                                                                             |
| 30                                                                                | Tamil Nadu                                                                        | 7,04,363                                                                          | 10,64,754                                                                         | 17,69,117                                                                         |
| 31                                                                                | Telangana                                                                         | 3,39,582                                                                          | 6,51,905                                                                          | 9,91,487                                                                          |
| 32                                                                                | The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu                                      | 3,681                                                                             | 4,702                                                                             | 8,383                                                                             |
| 33                                                                                | Tripura                                                                           | 13,524                                                                            | 52,082                                                                            | 65,606                                                                            |
| 34                                                                                | Uttar Pradesh                                                                     | 18,43,158                                                                         | 1,01,61,311                                                                       | 1,20,04,469                                                                       |
| 35                                                                                | Uttarakhand                                                                       | 48,932                                                                            | 262101                                                                            | 31,1033                                                                           |
| 36                                                                                | West Bengal                                                                       | 6,42,234                                                                          | 32,60,381                                                                         | 39,02,615                                                                         |
|                                                                                   | Total                                                                             | 11,167,873                                                                        | 38,387,519                                                                        | 49,562,229                                                                        |

Source: National Judicial Data Grid as on 09-03-2026

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (B)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3501  FOR  ANSWER  ON  13.03.2026  REGARDING  'PENDENCY  OF  CASES  IN COURTS'

## Total number of sanctioned versus vacant judicial positions in the Supreme Court and High Courts

|       |                  | SANCTIONED STRENGTH   | WORKING STRENGTH   | VACANCIES   |
|-------|------------------|-----------------------|--------------------|-------------|
| A.    | Supreme Court    | 34                    | 33                 | 1           |
| B.    | High Court       |                       |                    |             |
| 1     | Allahabad        | 160                   | 109                | 51          |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh   | 37                    | 33                 | 4           |
| 3     | Bombay           | 94                    | 80                 | 14          |
| 4     | Calcutta         | 72                    | 43                 | 29          |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh     | 22                    | 15                 | 7           |
| 6     | Delhi            | 60                    | 44                 | 16          |
| 7     | Gauhati          | 30                    | 25                 | 5           |
| 8     | Gujarat          | 52                    | 35                 | 17          |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh | 17                    | 12                 | 5           |
| 10    | J &Kand Ladakh   | 25                    | 14                 | 11          |
| 11    | Jharkhand        | 25                    | 14                 | 11          |
| 12    | Karnataka        | 62                    | 46                 | 16          |
| 13    | Kerala           | 47                    | 40                 | 7           |
| 14    | Madhya Pradesh   | 53                    | 42                 | 11          |
| 15    | Madras           | 75                    | 52                 | 23          |
| 16    | Manipur          | 5                     | 3                  | 2           |
| 17    | Meghalaya        | 4                     | 4                  | 0           |
| 18    | Orissa           | 33                    | 19                 | 14          |
| 19    | Patna            | 53                    | 38                 | 15          |
| 20    | Punjab &Haryana  | 85                    | 61                 | 24          |
| 21    | Rajasthan        | 50                    | 39                 | 11          |
| 22    | Sikkim           | 3                     | 3                  | 0           |
| 23    | Telangana        | 42                    | 28                 | 14          |
| 24    | Tripura          | 5                     | 4                  | 1           |
| 25    | Uttarakhand      | 11                    | 10                 | 1           |
| Total |                  | 1122                  | 813                | 309         |

## ANNEXURE-IV

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (B)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3501  FOR  ANSWER  ON  13.03.2026  REGARDING  'PENDENCY  OF  CASES  IN COURTS'

## Total number of sanctioned versus vacant judicial positions in Subordinate Judiciary

| SL. NO.   | STATES &UTs                     | TOTAL SANCTIONED STRENGTH   | TOTALWORKING STRENGTH   | TOTAL VACANCY   |
|-----------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh                  | 643                         | 572                     | 71              |
| 2.        | Arunachal Pradesh               | 53                          | 39                      | 14              |
| 3.        | Assam                           | 485                         | 461                     | 24              |
| 4.        | Bihar                           | 2025                        | 1665                    | 360             |
| 5.        | Chandigarh                      | 30                          | 28                      | 2               |
| 6.        | Chhattisgarh                    | 663                         | 465                     | 198             |
| 7.        | D &NHaveli                      | 3                           | 2                       | 1               |
| 8.        | Daman &Diu                      | 4                           | 4                       | 0               |
| 9.        | Delhi                           | 897                         | 838                     | 59              |
| 10.       | Goa                             | 50                          | 40                      | 10              |
| 11.       | Gujarat                         | 1720                        | 1185                    | 535             |
| 12.       | Haryana                         | 781                         | 643                     | 138             |
| 13.       | Himachal Pradesh                | 188                         | 173                     | 15              |
| 14.       | Jammu and Kashmir               | 322                         | 270                     | 52              |
| 15.       | Jharkhand                       | 707                         | 496                     | 211             |
| 16.       | Karnataka                       | 1395                        | 1129                    | 266             |
| 17.       | Kerala                          | 611                         | 577                     | 34              |
| 18.       | Ladakh                          | 17                          | 9                       | 8               |
| 19.       | Lakshadweep                     | 4                           | 4                       | 0               |
| 20.       | Madhya Pradesh                  | 2028                        | 1638                    | 390             |
| 21.       | Maharashtra                     | 2190                        | 1940                    | 250             |
| 22.       | Manipur                         | 62                          | 49                      | 13              |
| 23.       | Meghalaya                       | 99                          | 57                      | 42              |
| 24.       | Mizoram                         | 74                          | 45                      | 29              |
| 25.       | Nagaland                        | 34                          | 24                      | 10              |
| 26.       | Odisha                          | 1044                        | 861                     | 183             |
| 27.       | Puducherry                      | 38                          | 26                      | 12              |
| 28.       | Punjab                          | 812                         | 699                     | 113             |
| 29.       | Rajasthan                       | 1698                        | 1489                    | 209             |
| 30.       | Sikkim                          | 35                          | 23                      | 12              |
| 31.       | Tamil Nadu                      | 1386                        | 1235                    | 151             |
| 32.       | Telangana                       | 560                         | 445                     | 115             |
| 33.       | Tripura                         | 133                         | 119                     | 14              |
| 34.       | Uttar Pradesh                   | 3700                        | 2631                    | 1069            |
| 35.       | Uttarakhand                     | 298                         | 270                     | 28              |
| 36.       | West Bengal andAndaman& Nicobar | 1105                        | 863                     | 242             |
| TOTAL     | TOTAL                           | 25,894                      | 21,026                  | 4,868           |

Source: Nyaya Vikas 2.0 Portal