CJI Surya Kant wants a smarter fix for India's court backlog
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant says it's time for a "scientific and comprehensive" approach to clear the massive pile-up of court cases—now at 5.4 crore.
He sees this as a sign that deeper structural bottlenecks in the system need urgent attention.
Why are so many cases stuck?
As of November 2025, trial courts have about 4.8 crore pending cases, high courts have nearly 64 lakh, and even the Supreme Court has over 90,000—the most ever.
CJI Kant points to not enough judges and poor infrastructure as big reasons for this mess.
Now, he wants urgent case requests made in writing (except for serious situations like personal liberty or death penalty).
What's changing?
CJI Kant is pushing mediation to help settle disputes faster without clogging up courts.
He also plans to fast-track lower court cases that depend on Supreme Court rulings and set up special benches for big constitutional questions.
High courts matter too
He reminds everyone that high courts handle important constitutional issues daily and play a key role in keeping the legal system running smoothly across regions—while the Supreme Court steps in mainly for nationwide clarity.