Judicial Bottleneck: India Struggles with Judge Shortage

A 2025 report highlights India's judge scarcity, with only 15 judges per million people compared to recommended 50. High courts face 33% vacancy, district courts handle 2,200 cases per judge. The report urges immediate corrections in recruitment and diversity, citing women's rising representation and persistent backlog issues.

India faces a judicial bottleneck with only 15 judges per million people, far below the Law Commission's recommendation of 50. This has created an enormous workload and backlog in courts across the country.

A recent report highlights a dire 33% vacancy rate in high courts and an average judge workload of 2,200 cases in district courts. It underscores the need for urgent recruitment and increased diversity in the judiciary.

Women's representation has seen gradual improvement, but vacancies, particularly in high courts, need addressing. The report calls for foundational reforms to improve justice delivery and reduce case backlogs.

(With inputs from agencies.)