Lok Sabha Question No. 4816 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Case Pendency in High Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Md Abu Taher Khan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4816 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 20 TH  MARCH, 2026

## CASE PENDENCY IN HIGH COURTS

## 4816 MD ABU TAHER KHAN:

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

- (a) the number of civil cases pending in High Courts in the country;
- (b) the number of such cases pending for over ten years;
- (c) the number of posts of judges lying vacant in High Courts in the country;
- (d) the initiatives taken by the Government to fill up the vacancies to the posts of judges lying vacant in High Courts; and
- (e) the initiatives taken by the Government to ensure timely and speedy disposal of cases in High Courts?

## 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) & (b): As per information available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG),44,75,765civil cases as on 16.03.2026 are pending in High Courts in the country, out of which 10,48,393 cases are pending for over 10 years.
- (c) & (d): As  on  13.03.2026,  316  posts  of  judges  are  lying  vacant  in  High  Courts  in  the country. Appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts is made under Articles 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 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.

(e): The  disposal  of  the  cases  is  within  the  exclusive  domain  of  judiciary.  However,  the Central  Government  is  committed  for  speedy  disposal  of  cases  and  reducing  pendency  as mandated under Article  21  of  the  Constitution  and  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  provide  an ecosystem for faster disposal of cases by the judiciary:

- i. The Government has been filling up vacancies of Judges in the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts from time to time. From 01.05.2014 to 28.02.2026, 72 Judges have been  appointed  in  the  Supreme  Court.  1164  new  Judges  were  appointed  and  820 Additional Judges were made permanent in the High Courts during the same period. The sanctioned strength of Judges of the High Courts has increased from 906 in May, 2014 to 1122 till date.
- ii. 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.
- iii. Arrears Committees have been set up in all 25 High Courts and the District Courts as well to clear cases pending for more than five years.
- iv. The Government has also amended 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 with a view to reduce pendency.
- v. Alternate Dispute Resolution methods have been promoted. The Commercial Courts Act, 2015  was  amended  in  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.
- vi. Lok  Adalat  is  an  important  Alternative  Disputes  Resolution  Mechanism  available  to common people, 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 it before any court. National Lok Adalats are organized simultaneously in all Taluks, Districts and High Courts on a pre-fixed date.

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