Minister says 4.8 crore cases are pending in lower courts, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• As of December 1, 2025, 90,694 cases are pending in the Supreme Court.
• 4.8 crore cases are pending in lower courts across India.
• There are 4,855 vacant posts for judges in district courts and 297 in High Courts.
• Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of vacancies in lower judiciary (1,055) and pending cases (1,13,05,841).
• Allahabad High Court has the most vacant posts (60) and pending cases (11,66,971) among High Courts.

Detailed Insights:

• The filling of vacant judge positions in district and subordinate courts is the responsibility of the High Courts and State governments.
• Vacancies in the Supreme Court and High Courts are being addressed through collaboration between the executive and judiciary.
• In 2021, the number of pending cases in the Supreme Court was 70,239, indicating an increase in pendency over the past five years.
• Besides Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat has 535 and Madhya Pradesh has 384 vacancies in the lower judiciary.
• The high number of pending cases contributes to judicial delays, affecting access to justice and potentially violating Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Judicial Pendency: The accumulation of unresolved cases within the court system, leading to delays in justice.
• Subordinate Courts: Lower courts that function under the supervision and jurisdiction of the High Courts.
• High Courts: The principal civil courts of original jurisdiction in a state.