A System Stretched Thin
India’s judicial system is grappling with a stark numerical imbalance. With only about 22 judges per million people, the country falls far short of what is required to deliver timely justice to its population. This figure, cited in early 2026 parliamentary disclosures, highlights a structural weakness that has long plagued Indian courts—chronic understaffing in the face of rising litigation, social complexity, and population growth.
The Backbone of Indian Democracy
The Indian judiciary—comprising the Supreme Court, High Courts, and subordinate courts—plays a foundational role in upholding constitutional rights, resolving disputes, and maintaining the rule of law. Yet, despite its centrality, the system remains overstretched. While sanctioned judicial strength has increased gradually, vacancies and procedural delays continue to undermine efficiency. The result is a growing gap between judicial demand and institutional capacity.
Understanding the Numbers and Their Impact
The current judge-to-population ratio is calculated using the 2011 Census population of approximately 1.21 billion and the sanctioned strength of around 26,600 judges across all court levels. However, the effective ratio is even lower—estimated between 15 and 21 judges per million—because a significant proportion of sanctioned posts remain unfilled, particularly in High Courts and district courts.
This shortage directly feeds into India’s massive case backlog, which now exceeds five crore cases. District courts alone account for the overwhelming majority of pendency, while High Courts and the Supreme Court face their own mounting queues. On average, an Indian judge disposes of about 2,000 cases annually, far below what is required to meaningfully reduce arrears.
Government Reforms Addressing Vacancies and Pendency
Successive governments have acknowledged the crisis and initiated a range of reforms. Sanctioned strength in High Courts has risen steadily over the past decade, alongside targeted efforts to fill vacancies through faster collegium recommendations and greater emphasis on social diversity in appointments.
Technology has emerged as a central pillar of reform. The e-Courts Project, now in its third phase, aims to digitize records, expand virtual hearings, and deploy artificial intelligence tools for case management and scheduling. These measures have already helped clear millions of cases post-pandemic. Additionally, fast-track courts, Lok Adalats, and mandatory mediation for certain disputes have been expanded to divert cases away from regular court dockets.
A more ambitious proposal—the All-India Judicial Service—has been debated as a means to centralize and accelerate recruitment at the district level, though consensus remains elusive.
How India Compares Globally
International comparisons underscore the severity of India’s shortage. The United States has over 100 judges per million people, while many European countries exceed 140. Even the United Kingdom, often cited as a comparable common-law system, maintains roughly 50 judges per million—more than double India’s level. Developing nations such as Brazil and South Korea also outperform India in judicial density.
These disparities are shaped by higher public spending on justice, stronger infrastructure, and more aggressive recruitment pipelines abroad. India, by contrast, allocates a fraction of its GDP to the judiciary, leaving lower courts particularly strained.
The Cost of Delay
India’s low judge-to-population ratio is not merely a statistical concern—it carries tangible social and economic costs. Delayed justice fuels overcrowded prisons, discourages investment, and erodes public trust in institutions. While recent reforms mark progress, incremental change may no longer suffice. Bridging the gap will require bold expansion of judicial strength, sustained technological integration, and structural reforms to recruitment. Without such measures, the promise of timely justice risks remaining out of reach for millions.
(With agency inputs)
