Parmanand Pandey-
According to a report published in a leading New Delhi daily, as of September 25, approximately 5.34 crore cases are pending across courts in India. Of these, about 4.7 crore await resolution in the district and subordinate judiciary, nearly 69 lakh in the High Courts, and over 88,000 in the Supreme Court.
The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) reveals that 81% of cases pending in district courts are criminal, while 19% are civil. The data also highlights challenges: in over 62 lakh cases, hearings stall because ‘counsels are not available’; in more than 35 lakh cases, accused persons are absconding; witnesses are reported missing in 27 lakh cases; and in 8 lakh cases, parties have lost interest. Remarkably, the oldest pending case in a district court dates back 73 years, filed in 1952. It’s often quipped that snails move faster than court cases.
Delays worsen when judges, despite reviewing evidence and hearing arguments, are transferred, forcing successors to rehear cases from the beginning (‘de novo’), extending timelines by months or even years.
Adjournments are frequently granted on trivial grounds, further clogging the system.
This situation underscores the urgent need to integrate Artificial Intelligence into the justice delivery process. For instance, cases related to quashing of FIRs, cheque bounce disputes, or bail applications shouldn’t congest dockets for months—they could be resolved within hours using AI. Similarly, there is no justification for Transfer Petitions (TP) to linger for months.
The judiciary has already seen technological progress: once-crowded stamp vendor windows are now deserted thanks to e-stamps. Expanding such innovations, e-filing should be mandatory across all courts, as it is in the Supreme Court.
Furthermore, advocates should have the freedom to address courts in any language, with AI assisting judges by providing real-time translations. Since virtual hearings are now commonplace, physical appearances by advocates should be minimised. Also, the division of advocates into ‘normal’ and ‘senior’ categories should be reconsidered.
Without embracing modern technology and innovative approaches, public confidence in the Indian judicial system will continue to erode.
