India judicial system faces massive case backlog and transparency concerns

India's judicial system continues to face a massive backlog of pending cases, a challenge that has persisted for nearly two centuries. Justice S. Muralidhar, former Orissa High Court Chief Justice, noted that the legal system remains broken, citing over 5.1 crore cases in district courts, 65 lakh in High Courts, and approximately 93,000 in the Supreme Court.

Muralidhar attributed these delays to several factors, including a shortage of judges and a lack of transparency in the appointment process. He specifically criticized the collegium system and executive interference in judicial appointments, calling for greater disclosure regarding the criteria used to evaluate candidates.

Data regarding pending cases shows significant regional disparities. As of June 30, 2026, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of pending cases at over 1.37 million, with 78 percent of cases in its fast track courts remaining unresolved. Other states with high backlogs include Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. While fast track courts were established to expedite justice, reports indicate that increasing the number of courts has not necessarily improved the speed of hearings.