New Delhi: India’s judiciary is grappling with a significant backlog, with nearly 62,000 cases pending in various high courts for more than 30 years, highlighting systemic issues that have long plagued the legal system. This includes several cases that have not been resolved since the early 1950s.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the oldest of these cases date back to 1952, with two in the Calcutta High Court and one in the Madras High Court. Additionally, there are four cases from 1954 and nine from 1955 still awaiting judgment. The data underscores a chronic issue within the judiciary that resonates with the concerns President Droupadi Murmu addressed at a national conference of the district judiciary this week in New Delhi. She criticized the prevalent “culture of adjournments” and emphasized the urgency of resolving the extensive pendency and backlog of cases.
President Murmu stressed that the judiciary faces a formidable challenge due to the longstanding pendency, advocating for a concerted effort among all stakeholders to prioritize and address these delays. The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) reveals the scale of the problem extends beyond these decades-old cases, with nearly 2.45 lakh cases pending for 20 to 30 years.
Overall, Indian high courts are burdened with over 58.59 lakh cases, comprising 42.64 lakh civil and 15.94 lakh criminal cases, indicating a systemic need for reform to expedite legal proceedings and enhance judicial efficiency.