The National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) serves as a real-time portal designed to monitor the pendency of cases across all Indian courts. It offers current information regarding pending cases, enabling greater transparency in the judiciary.
Although the Supreme Court of India published monthly reports on judicial pendency, it was not integrated into the NJDG. Consequently, detailed insights such as vintage or coram-wise distribution of pending cases were absent from the NJDG data.
According to the latest data from NJDG, there are approximately 50.57 million pending cases throughout the Indian judiciary. A significant majority, about 87.84%, of these cases are at the district or taluka court level, while high courts account for 12.01%, and the Supreme Court represents a mere 0.16% of the total pending cases.
The Supreme Court deals with a diverse array of cases, including civil, criminal, and constitutional matters. Notably, Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) constitute 55.4% of the pending cases, followed by civil appeals at 23% and writ petitions at 3.54%.
The age of pending cases in the Supreme Court shows considerable variation. Approximately 19.3% of cases have been pending for 5-10 years, while 16.84% have been unresolved for 3-5 years. The largest proportion comprises cases filed within the past year.
The Supreme Court is structured with various benches, predominantly hearing cases through two-judge panels. Currently, only 965 cases are pending before benches requiring three or more judges, indicating that 98.8% of the pending cases are managed by two-judge benches.
The clearance rate serves as a critical indicator of the Supreme Court's efficiency in disposing of cases. A clearance rate exceeding 1 signifies that the Court resolves more cases than are filed. In 2022, the Supreme Court achieved its highest clearance rate at 1.015, which has currently decreased to 0.95 this year. This data highlights the ongoing challenges related to case pendency within the Supreme Court of India.
Q1. What is the purpose of the NJDG?
Answer: The NJDG tracks case pendency across Indian courts in real time, enhancing judicial transparency and accountability.
Q2. How many cases are pending in the Supreme Court?
Answer: The Supreme Court currently has a minimal share of pending cases, accounting for only 0.16% of the total 50.57 million cases in India's judiciary.
Q3. What percentage of pending cases are Special Leave Petitions?
Answer: Special Leave Petitions comprise 55.4% of the total pending cases in the Supreme Court, indicating their significant role in its caseload.
Q4. What is the Supreme Court's clearance rate?
Answer: The Supreme Court's clearance rate was 1.015 in 2022. It is currently at 0.95, reflecting ongoing challenges in managing case pendency.
Q5. How does the NJDG contribute to judicial efficiency?
Answer: By providing real-time data on case pendency, the NJDG allows for better resource allocation and management, aiding in judicial efficiency.
Question 1: What does the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) track?
A) Number of judges in India
B) Pendency of cases in Indian courts
C) Judicial appointments
D) Court fees
Correct Answer: B
Question 2: What percentage of pending cases in the Supreme Court are Special Leave Petitions?
A) 45.5%
B) 55.4%
C) 23%
D) 3.54%
Correct Answer: B
Question 3: What is the clearance rate of the Supreme Court in 2023?
A) 1.015
B) 0.95
C) 1.2
D) 0.85
Correct Answer: B
Question 4: How many pending cases does the Supreme Court account for?
A) 0.16%
B) 12.01%
C) 10%
D) 5%
Correct Answer: A
Question 5: Which types of cases make up the majority of the Supreme Court's pending cases?
A) Civil appeals
B) Criminal cases
C) Special Leave Petitions
D) Writ petitions
Correct Answer: C
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