Justice on Hold: 25% of High Court Cases Linger for Over Two Decades
The staggering figures underscore an urgent need for sweeping judicial reforms to ensure timely justice for citizens.
Hyderabad: The recently released India Justice Report 2025 has exposed an alarming backlog in the Indian judiciary, with nearly 25% of High Court cases pending for over 20 years and another 25.9% lingering between 10 to 20 years. The staggering figures underscore an urgent need for sweeping judicial reforms to ensure timely justice for citizens.
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Nearly Half of High Court Cases Still Pending After 5 Years
The report paints a grim picture of the justice delivery system across several states. As per the data, 49.3% of High Court cases have been pending between 0 to 5 years, with Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad High Court recording over 40% of its cases as pending for more than two decades.
This reflects poorly on the system and challenges the long-standing principle that “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
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Supreme Court Takes Strong Stand Against Judgment Delays
In a recent move that signals a shift towards accountability, the Supreme Court expressed serious concern over High Courts reserving judgments indefinitely. The apex court asked registrars general of all 25 High Courts to furnish details of verdicts reserved before January 31 but still pending.
The court was hearing appeals pending since 2012, 2014, and 2018—cases where the Jharkhand High Court had reserved orders as far back as 2022 without pronouncing verdicts to date. The SC observed, “It cannot be allowed to go on like this (reserving judgments and forgetting about it).”
Telangana HC Judge Reserved Over 150 Verdicts
According to sources, a Telangana High Court judge had reserved verdicts in over 150 cases—including 13 from 2020 and more than 70 each from 2022 and 2023—highlighting the magnitude of the issue. These delays further amplify the argument for setting a fixed time frame for pronouncing reserved judgments.
Judiciary’s Inaction Violating Citizens’ Rights
In another shocking instance, the Punjab and Haryana High Court lashed out at state authorities after a convict remained in jail for nine months beyond his sentence. The court noted that such negligence by the state violates a citizen’s liberty and damages public faith in the judiciary.
In a separate case, the Kolkata High Court acquitted a man wrongly imprisoned for eight years due to a botched police investigation, further underlining systemic issues that demand urgent redressal.
Calls for Institutional Reforms and Legislative Action
Legal experts and citizens alike are calling for a timeline-based justice delivery system, similar to models followed in countries like China, where there’s a five-year limit for final case disposal.
A notable sentiment gaining ground is the need to bar judges from accepting post-retirement positions, a principle echoed by Chief Justice of India-designate Justice B.R. Gavai, who recently announced he would not accept any post-retirement appointments. This stance is being viewed as a step toward preserving judicial independence.
Parliament Must Act to Restore Trust in Judiciary
Given the mounting delays, arbitrary practices, and denial of liberty due to systemic failure, there is a growing chorus for the Parliament and Judiciary to work together and initiate time-bound, transparent, and people-centric reforms. Ensuring speedier trials, accountability, and protection of citizens’ rights must be the pillars of the new judicial reform agenda.
