Supreme Court Pendency Drops by 10,000 Cases Under CJI D.Y. Chandrachud
New Delhi – In a landmark accomplishment, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud has successfully reduced the Supreme Court’s case backlog by 10,000 cases over his nearly two-year tenure. Despite a consistent influx of new cases, CJI Chandrachud’s strategies—focused on transparency and prioritizing personal liberty cases—have resulted in an efficient clearance of cases, allowing for greater judicial efficiency and expedited justice.
At the start of 2022, the Supreme Court faced a daunting 93,011 pending cases, including defective filings. As of November 1, 2024, this number has reduced to 82,885 cases, marking a significant drop. CJI Chandrachud attributes this progress to several targeted measures, including publicly accessible case status updates and a redefined approach to case pendency that incorporates both registered cases and defective cases assigned a diary number.
According to the CJI, the Supreme Court has disposed of 107,403 cases between November 9, 2022, and November 1, 2024. During the same period, it registered 95,244 new cases, showing the increased efficiency in case resolution under the CJI’s tenure. Highlighting his commitment to upholding personal liberty, CJI Chandrachud mandated that up to 10 bail cases be listed daily in each courtroom across five working days. This prioritization has enabled faster relief for individuals awaiting hearings on their bail petitions.
Throughout this period, 533,142 cases have been listed for hearings, demonstrating the Court’s increased workload and commitment to tackling the backlog. By prioritizing transparency and focusing on cases impacting individual freedoms, CJI Chandrachud’s approach has set a new benchmark for judicial efficiency and responsiveness in the nation’s highest court
The CJI revealed that as of November 1, 2024, the total pending cases, including defective ones, stood at 82,885, down from 93,011 in January 2022. His efforts toward transparency included making detailed information about case backlogs publicly accessible and refining the criteria for what constitutes a "pending case." Since November 2022, both registered and defective cases—those with diary numbers but not ready for hearing—are now included in the backlog count.
Between November 9, 2022, and November 1, 2024, the Supreme Court registered 95,244 new cases while successfully disposing of 107,403 cases. Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted his commitment to clearing bail cases, directing courts to list up to 10 such cases per day across all five working days to expedite resolutions and uphold personal liberties.
Reference from:- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pendency-in-sc-came-down-by-10000-cases-in-last-2-years-cji/articleshow/115128051.cms