Why make litigants rush to SC for early hearings, CJI asks HCs, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant expressed concern over the growing trend of litigants approaching the Supreme Court for early hearings of cases pending in State High Courts.
• High Courts across India face a significant backlog of 65,54,788 cases, while the Supreme Court has a pendency of 97,201 cases.
• There are 292 judicial vacancies in the 25 High Courts against a total sanctioned strength of 1,122 as of October 6, 2026.
• The CJI questioned the responsiveness of High Courts' processes and listing procedures, despite respecting their institutional autonomy.
• He highlighted the broader powers of High Courts under Article 226 compared to the Supreme Court's powers under Article 32.

Detailed Insights:

• The CJI's remarks were made during an address at the Kerala High Court, emphasizing a collective responsibility to address the issue.
• The increase in the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38 has not effectively stemmed the rising case pendency.
• The CJI raised questions about more effective identification of urgent matters and ensuring transparent and predictable listing procedures.
• He also questioned why access to timely justice should depend on a litigant's ability to travel to the national capital.
• The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the institutional autonomy of High Courts, including their authority to manage their own rosters.
• The issue underscores challenges in ensuring timely and accessible justice for all citizens within the Indian judicial system.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Judicial Pendency: The backlog of cases awaiting disposal in courts.
• Article 226: Empowers High Courts to issue writs for the enforcement of fundamental rights and for any other purpose.
• Article 32: Guarantees the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of fundamental rights.
• Institutional Autonomy: The independence of High Courts in their internal functioning and administration.