Punjab, Haryana grapple with 22,84,291 pending court cases

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, January 2

In Punjab and Haryana, the quest for justice can extend beyond three decades, with a staggering 22,84,291 cases pending in the district courts of the two states. Despite concerted action plans to reduce the backlog, active monitoring by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and measures to expedite proceedings, a disconcerting reality persists — 10 cases in Haryana and seven in Punjab — have languished for over 30 years.

In Punjab, the oldest case dates back to 1983, while in Haryana it was filed in 1979. National Judicial Data Grid — the monitoring tool to identify, manage and reduce pendency — indicates that no less than 8,51,193 cases are pending in Punjab, including 4,72,646 criminal matters involving life and liberty. The situation is worse in Haryana, with 14,33,098 cases awaiting decision, including 9,73,214 criminal matters.

The numerical representation is far from trivial, particularly when considering the human aspect of the matter. The protracted legal battles, enduring from one generation to the next, exact a toll on the individuals and families involved. The prolonged nature of these cases imposes a substantial financial and emotional burden on the parties.

Moreover, the protracted resolution of court cases can lead to severe consequences, especially for those seeking compensation, redress, or resolution in legal disputes. The matters left unresolved contribute to a burgeoning backlog in the legal system, impeding its overall efficiency. This bottleneck, in turn, hampers the timely resolution of other cases, creating a cascading effect on the entire legal process.

The available information suggests that 63 civil and 27 criminal matters are pending for 20 to 30 years in the courts across Punjab. Another 2,902 are awaiting adjudication for 10 to 20 years and 60,295 are pending for five to 10 years. No less than 3,10,448 cases are pending for one to three years and 3,10,448 up to one year are yet to be decided.

In Haryana, 24 civil and 20 criminal matters are pending for 20 to 30 years. Another 3,529 are awaiting adjudication for 10 to 20 years and 1,42,941 are pending for five to 10 years. No less than 5,25,693 cases are pending for one to three years and 4,55,522 up to one year are yet to be decided.

Punjab has 22 sessions divisions, while Haryana has 21. The direct fallout of the colossal pendency is long adjournments and lesser number of hearings in a year, hampering the protection of fundamental rights. The effect of the pendency of cases is also reflected in an increase in the number of under-trials or un-convicted prisoners lodged in the jails.

Decades of delay

The National Judicial Data Grid — the monitoring tool to identify, manage and reduce pendency — indicates that no less than 8,51,193 cases are pending in Punjab, including 4,72,646 criminal matters involving life and liberty. The situation is worse in Haryana, with 14,33,098 cases awaiting decision, including 9,73,214 criminal matters.