Incoming CJI Surya Kant has said clearing pendency of cases and promoting mediation will be his top priorities. He called the 90,000 pending Supreme Court cases his “first and foremost challenge” and stressed mediation as a powerful solution.
Chief Justice of India-designate Justice Surya Kant, who is set to take oath on Monday, has clearly stated that his main focus will be on reducing the huge number of pending cases in courts and promoting mediation as an easy and effective way to resolve disputes.
He will officially assume charge after the outgoing Chief Justice BR Gavai steps down on Sunday. Speaking to the media, Justice Kant openly shared his concerns about the current situation of the judiciary and explained how he plans to address these long-standing issues.
Justice Surya Kant pointed out that the Supreme Court alone is burdened with nearly 90,000 pending cases, and this will be his biggest challenge once he takes over.
He described this problem as his top priority and said,
“My first and foremost challenge is the arrears of cases. Today’s scoreboard shows that the Supreme Court arrears crossed 90,000. I am not going into how it happened, who is responsible… maybe listing (of cases) has gone up,”
clearly indicating that his aim is not to blame anyone but to focus on solutions.
He further explained that he will seek detailed reports from all High Courts about the number of cases pending with them, and also collect data from trial courts across the country.
The idea, he said, is to understand the ground reality of the judicial backlog so that practical steps can be taken to speed up the justice delivery process.
Justice Kant also stressed that his second major priority will be mediation. According to him, mediation has the power to transform the way disputes are resolved in India, as it saves time, reduces pressure on courts, and helps parties reach amicable settlements.
He confidently stated,
“Now the second issue is mediation. This is one of the easiest ways of dispute (re)solution and it can really be the game changer,”
highlighting that pushing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms will be a key part of his policy as CJI.
When asked about how exactly the pendency of cases can be reduced, Justice Kant gave a practical example from his experience.
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He recalled how one of his judgments related to Delhi land acquisition matters helped resolve around 1,200 cases in one go, showing that focused judicial intervention can significantly reduce backlog.
He also mentioned that several cases are stuck in High Courts due to pending decisions on important constitutional and legal questions, which require larger Constitution Benches of the Supreme Court.
He added that High Courts will be asked to identify such matters so that appropriate benches can be formed to clear them.
On the issue of online trolling of judges and criticism of court verdicts, Justice Kant made it clear that he does not allow such comments to affect his mindset or performance.
He said,
“Frankly speaking, I call social media ‘unsocial media’ and I do not feel pressured by online comments…,”
reflecting his firm stand on maintaining judicial independence.
At the same time, he was careful to acknowledge that fair and balanced criticism of judges and judgments is acceptable in a democratic society.
Justice Kant also spoke briefly about Delhi’s worsening air pollution and how it has not stopped him from maintaining his daily routine. Showing his personal discipline, he said,
“Despite any weather conditions or anything, I normally go for my walk and average 50 minutes to one hour I walk…”,
indicating that even serious environmental issues have not affected his healthy lifestyle.
It is important to note that Justice Surya Kant will become the 53rd Chief Justice of India, having been appointed by President Droupadi Murmu on October 30.
His tenure will last for around 15 months, and he will demit office on February 9, 2027, upon attaining the age of 65.
During this period, expectations are high that he will bring strong reforms in case management, strengthen mediation practices, and improve the overall efficiency of the judiciary.
With a clear vision, practical approach, and firm stance on judicial responsibility, Justice Surya Kant’s leadership is being seen as a crucial phase for tackling India’s long-pending problem of judicial delays and making the justice system more accessible and people-friendly.
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