India News : India’s judicial system is grappling with a serious shortage of judges, especially at the district court level. According to an analysis of data from the Ministry of Law and Justice, the country has only about 22 judges per one million population in district courts—far below recommended and global standards.
As per the Law Commission of India, the judge-to-population ratio should have been raised to 50 judges per million people by 2007 itself. This recommendation was also endorsed by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India. However, the target remains unmet even today.
Vacancy situation in district courts
Government data shows that the sanctioned strength of district court judges across India is 25,439, but nearly 5,000 posts are currently vacant. The calculation of 22 judges per million population is based on the 2011 Census, when India’s population stood at around 1.21 billion. With the current population estimated at over 1.4 billion, the actual ratio is now even lower.
Several states below national average
The situation is particularly worrying in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, where the judge-to-population ratio is below the national average of 22.
Judges per million population in major states:
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Bihar: 19.45
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Uttar Pradesh: 18.52
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Jharkhand: 21.43
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West Bengal: 12.05
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Assam: 15.54
States with relatively better ratios include:
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Delhi: 53.43
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Mizoram: 67.44
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Uttarakhand: 29.55
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Gujarat: 28.46
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Madhya Pradesh: 27.92
India far behind global standards
In comparison with other countries, India significantly lags behind:
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China: Around 300 judges per million population
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United States: About 150 judges per million
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European countries: An average of 220 judges per million
Supreme Court and High Courts
The Law Ministry data also highlights shortages in higher judiciary:
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The Supreme Court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges, with 33 currently in position, translating to just 0.028 judges per million population.
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Across High Courts, the sanctioned strength is 1,122 judges, but around 300 posts remain vacant, resulting in about 0.92 judges per million population.
Impact on justice delivery
Legal experts say the shortage of judges is a major reason for mounting case pendency and delays in justice delivery. Without a substantial increase in judicial appointments in line with population growth, ensuring timely and effective justice will remain a major challenge for India’s legal system.
