Stray dog multiple hearings vs 82,000 pending cases: National Judicial Data Grid reveals Supreme Court’s huge backlog, highlighting rising pendency and judicial delays impacting timely justice delivery.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has recently found itself in the spotlight for taking up three separate cases concerning the stray dog menace since last year, the most recent suo motu intervention being in response to reports of brutal dog attacks on children. While the apex court’s move reflects its extraordinary powers and duty to safeguard citizens’ rights, it also underlines a larger systemic concern: an ever-rising mountain of pending cases.
As of January 2025, the Court had 82,445 pending matters, a slight decrease of 527 cases from December 2024. Yet, the sheer scale of pendency overshadows such short-term gains, especially when several constitutional and public interest matters remain unresolved.
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Big Cases Waiting in Line
The document is crowded with pressing issues, many of which have made headlines but remain in legal ambiguity:
- Foreigner Woes (Rajubala Das v Union of India, 2020): The plight of detainees in Assam’s Matia detention centre is unresolved, despite the Court’s acknowledgment of poor facilities.
- ED Powers (Review of Vijay Madanlal Choudhary, 2022): The review of the controversial ruling that expanded the Enforcement Directorate’s powers has seen little progress, even as allegations of political misuse abound.
- Dearness Allowance Deadlock (West Bengal v Confederation of State Employees, 2022): After 18 adjournments, only an interim relief has been provided; the final word is still awaited.
- Gyanvapi Dispute (2022 onwards): The sensitive mosque–temple issue remains stuck at interim hearings.
- Places of Worship Challenge (Ashwini Upadhyay v UOI, 2022): The constitutional validity of the 1991 law, key to several communal disputes, is yet undecided.
- Rohingya Detention (Priyali Sur v UOI, 2023): A PIL seeking the release of Rohingya refugees has not moved beyond issuing a notice to the Centre.
- J&K Statehood Plea (2024): The petition for restoring Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood has only just begun its journey.
- Krishna Janmabhoomi–Shahi Idgah Dispute (2024): The matter has been stayed but awaits deeper adjudication.
Each of these represents not just legal questions but matters with deep human, political, and social consequences.
Monthly Snapshot of Pendency (July 2024 – Jan 2025)
- July 2024: Term began with 84,280 pending cases; ended with 83,312 after 900 disposals.
- Aug–Oct 2024: Slight dip followed by marginal rise, touching 83,001 cases.
- Nov 2024: New CJI Sanjiv Khanna prioritised miscellaneous matters. Pendency dipped to 82,347.
- Dec 2024: Closed with 82,972 pending matters.
- Jan 2025: With 20 working days, the Court disposed of 4,521 cases (226 per day), reducing pendency to 82,445.
This marked a short-term success compared to December, but not enough to address the larger problem.
Also Read: 83,000 Pending Cases| Supreme Court Backlog Approaching Record High
Long-Term Trends in Supreme Court Pendency
Data from Annual Reports & National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) reflect a consistent climb in pendency:
- 2019: 58,029 cases
- 2020: 59,670 cases
- 2021 (COVID impact): 66,072 cases
- 2022: 70,101 cases
- 2023: 78,400 cases (counting method widened)
- 2024: Over 80,000 cases
- 2025: 82,445 cases
The pandemic worsened delays, but counting reforms and systemic inefficiencies keep pendency climbing.
Also Read: Allahabad High Court Faces Crisis: 50% Judges’ Seats Vacant, 11.5 Lakh Cases Pending
Constitution Bench Pendency
As of January 2025:
- 33 Constitution Bench cases pending (2 more than December).
- Most are five-judge bench matters, including a high-stakes arbitration award dispute listed for February 13, 2025.
Constitution Benches are vital for clarity on constitutional interpretation, yet delays mean crucial issues, from reservations to federal disputes, remain undecided.
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