Thousands of families have seen generations pass while their legal disputes remain unresolved in Indian courts. According to data compiled by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice, 3442 cases have been pending in the country’s High Courts and district courts for over 50 years. Another 32347 cases are between 40 and 50 years old, highlighting the scale of judicial delays.
High Courts Carried Bulk of Long Pending Cases
The report revealed that 2329 cases have remained stuck in 25 High Courts for more than five decades. Strikingly, the Calcutta High Court alone accounted for 2185 of them, nearly 94% of such cases. Patna High Court had 46, Madras High Court 56, and Allahabad High Court 17. In the 40-50 years bracket, 22829 cases were still pending in High Courts, with Allahabad High Court alone carrying 16530.
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District Courts Backlog Spread Across States
In district courts, 1113 cases have been pending for over 50 years. Bengal topped the list with 430 such cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 284, Bihar with 180, and Maharashtra with 164. Delhi’s district courts reported five cases older than half a century. The total backlog in district courts is far larger, more than 43 lakh cases have been pending for 10-20 years.
Ministry Data Highlighted the Judicial Delays
The findings were based on pendency reports from 25 High Courts and all district courts across the country. With over 11 lakh cases in High Courts and 43 lakh in district courts waiting for disposal for more than a decade, the ministry’s data has once again drawn attention to the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure timely justice.
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