Delhi's criminal case backlog jumps by 2.66 lakh in a year, reaches 12.4 lakh amid judicial vacancies

Pending criminal cases in Delhi’s lower courts surge to over 12.4 lakh, marking a year-on-year rise
Judicial vacancies in Delhi's courts stand at 94, contributing to delays in case resolutions
Nationally, over 5,200 judicial vacancies persist, hindering justice delivery and increasing case pendency

The backlog of criminal cases in Delhi’s district courts has increased by 2.66 lakh in the span of one year, reaching 12.48 lakh by November 2024. In November 2023, the number of pending criminal cases was recorded at 9.82 lakh. As of mid-November 2024, a total of 14.68 lakh cases were pending in Delhi’s lower courts, which include both criminal and civil matters. Of this total, 12.48 lakh are criminal cases, while 2.2 lakh are civil cases.

On a national level, the total number of pending criminal cases across all lower courts in India is 3.43 crore, with an additional 1.09 crore civil cases pending. The overall increase in criminal cases across the country amounts to 6.18 lakh. West Bengal saw a similar rise, with its criminal case backlog increasing by over 2.7 lakh during the same period.

The rise in the number of pending criminal cases in Delhi is also accompanied by a shortage of judicial officers. Across all the lower courts in India, there are currently 5,254 vacancies for judicial officers. In Delhi, 94 judicial positions remain vacant. The National Judicial Data Grid reports that there are 679 judges currently serving in Delhi’s lower courts, a number that is insufficient to handle the growing caseload.

The shortage of judicial officers in Delhi has been a longstanding issue, contributing to delays in case resolutions. The vacancies across the country have further strained the judicial system, which is already struggling with a high volume of pending cases. The combination of a significant number of unfilled judicial positions and an increasing number of pending criminal cases has resulted in delays in the administration of justice.

In response to the growing backlog and vacancies, there have been ongoing efforts to address the shortage of judges. However, the persistence of high vacancy rates and rising case pendency continues to challenge the efficiency of the judicial system in both Delhi and across the country.

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criminal cases