Judicial Delay & Court Backlog
50 million cases pending across Indian courts. Average trial duration exceeds 13 years with 77% undertrial prisoners.
Main Problems
Staggering Court Case Backlog: Over 50 million cases pending across Supreme Court, High Courts, and Subordinate Judiciary
Prolonged Trial Duration: Average trial duration for civil and commercial disputes exceeds 13 years across subordinate courts
High Judicial Vacancy Rate: 30% of sanctioned judge positions in High Courts and 21% in Subordinate Courts remain unfilled
Undertrial Prisoner Crisis: 77% of India's prison population comprises undertrials awaiting completion of legal proceedings
Low Legal Aid Utilization: Less than 12% of eligible indigent litigants receive effective legal assistance from State Legal Services
Subordinate Court Digital Infrastructure Gap: Over 40% of lower courts lack dedicated video-conferencing or e-filing infrastructure
High Litigation Cost: Legal expenses absorb up to 40% of disputed claim values, deterring small business access to justice
Complex Statutory Procedures: Archaic procedural codes cause repeated adjournments (average 18 adjournments per case)
Current Status
Latest Update
CAG report reveals allocated funds for Judicial Delay & Court Backlog remain under-utilized. Ministry requests implementation extension.
June 2026