New Delhi: Over 4.76 crore cases are pending across various courts in the country, including more than 63.66 lakh cases in High Courts and 92,101 cases in the Supreme Court of India, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Replying to an unstarred question, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that, as per data available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), a total of 4,76,57,328 cases were pending in district and subordinate courts as on December 31, 2025.
Meghwal, who is also the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, added that the pendency in the Supreme Court stood at 92,101 cases as on December 31, 2025, reflecting an 11.40 per cent increase over the last three years.
The data further showed that a total of 63,66,023 cases were pending across the 25 High Courts in the country as on December 31, 2025, marking a 4.75 per cent rise in pendency during the same period. Among High Courts, the Allahabad High Court had the highest pendency with 12,07,240 cases, followed by the Bombay High Court with 6,64,979 cases and the Rajasthan High Court with 6,87,595 pending matters as on December 31, 2025, according to official data.
The data indicated that pendency in district and subordinate courts increased by 5.84 per cent over the last three years, rising to 4,76,57,328 cases as on December 31, 2025.
State-wise data showed that Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for 1,13,45,328 pending cases in district and subordinate courts, followed by Maharashtra with 59,26,999 cases and West Bengal with 38,35,113 cases.
The Minister said that disposal of cases is within the exclusive domain of the judiciary, adding that the government has taken several initiatives to provide an ecosystem for faster disposal, including strengthening infrastructure, computerisation of courts, filling vacancies, and promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
“The disposal of cases is within the exclusive domain of the judiciary. However, the Central Government is committed to the speedy disposal of cases and reducing pendency as mandated under Article 21 of the Constitution and has taken several initiatives to provide an ecosystem for faster disposal of cases by the judiciary,” Meghwa said in his written reply.
The government reiterated that measures such as the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms, promotion of Lok Adalats, amendments to key commercial and criminal laws, and implementation of the eCourts project are aimed at addressing judicial delays and improving case management across all levels of the judiciary.
(IANS)
