3.08 crore cases pending in HCs, lower courts: Govt

Despite disposal of over two crore litigations last year, over three crore cases are still pending in the 24 high courts and various lower courts in the country, Rajya Sabha was told today.
The latest figures have come even as Chief Justice of India T S Thakur had on Sunday lamented that the judge-to-people ratio in India stands at 15 to 10 lakh whereas the Law Commission had nearly 30 years ago recommended an increase to 50 judges per 10 lakh people.
Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said in a written reply in the Upper House that 38.70 lakh cases were pending in the high courts and 2.70 crore cases were pending in the district and subordinate courts on December 31, 2015.

Referring to the disposal of cases, he said while the high courts disposed of 15,80,911 cases in 2015, the figure stood at 1,78,97,488 for the lower courts.
In 2014, the high courts disposed of 17,34,542 cases while the lower courts settled 1,90,19,658 cases.
According to latest Law Ministry figures, the approved strength of the subordinate judiciary is 20,214 with 4580 vacancies. The approved strength of the 24 high courts is 1056 and the vacancy was pegged at 458 as on March one.
In the apex court, there are six vacancies against the sanctioned strength of 31 judges, including the CJI.