Judge-population ratio stood at 21.03 judges per million people in 2020

The judge-population ratio in India stood at 21.03 judges per million people in 2020, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

The judge-population ratio in 2018 stood at 19.78 judges per million people and 20.39 in 2019, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju told the Upper House in a written reply.

In order to calculate the judge-population ratio for per million population in a particular year, the Department of Justice in the Ministry of Law, uses the population count as per 2011 census and available information regarding sanctioned strength of judges in Supreme Court, high courts, district and subordinate courts, in the particular year, he said.

India has 25 high courts.

"Using the above criterion, the judge-population ratio works out to be 21.03 judges per million population for the year 2020," the minister noted.

The sanctioned strength of judges in Supreme Court increased from 31 in 2014 to 34 in the year 2020.

The sanctioned strength of judges of high courts increased from 906 judges in June 2014 to 1,079 judges in December, 2020.

The sanctioned strength of judges of district and subordinate courts increased from 19,518 in the year 2014 to 24,225 in 2020, Rijiju added.