Amendment to Supreme Court Judges' Strength
The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, increasing the number of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. This amendment is considered insufficient to address the backlog of cases.
Judicial Backlog and Challenges
- Over 10,000 cases at the Supreme Court have been pending for more than a decade.
- High courts have over 80,000 cases unresolved for over 30 years.
- Judicial infrastructure and digitisation have seen investments of over ₹9,800 crore since 2011, yet pendency rises.
- High courts face around 340 judicial vacancies out of 1,122 sanctioned posts; district courts have over 7,300 vacancies among 30,868 sanctioned posts.
Systemic Issues
- Delays in appointments, inadequate infrastructure, and weak case management systems contribute to slow justice delivery.
- Government departments are major litigants, adding to case backlogs.
Specialized Courts and Limitations
The establishment of fast-track courts for specific cases, like paper-leak cases, reflects a shift towards specialised adjudication. However, without addressing systemic constraints, this approach only shifts backlog.
- By April 30, 2026, 775 fast-track special courts operated, yet pending cases rose from 204,000 in 2024 to 246,000 in 2025.
Judicial Reforms Needed
- Filling judicial vacancies with a time-bound appointment process is crucial.
- Strengthening the subordinate judiciary and investing in modern infrastructure and digital management can enhance productivity.
- Implementing better case-flow management, reducing unnecessary adjournments, and adopting technology under the e-Courts Phase III programme can cut procedural delays.
- Pre-litigation mediation and effective administrative grievance-redress mechanisms can alleviate court pressure.
These reforms not only enhance the justice system but also improve ease of living and doing business by ensuring efficient contract enforcement.
