Abstract

The Indian judiciary faces a profound crisis of pendency, with cases languishing in courts for years or even decades, creating a fundamental barrier to access to justice for citizens across socioeconomic groups. Despite constitutional guarantees of timely justice, the significant delays undermine public confidence in the rule of law and hinder economic development. This research investigates the structural and procedural causes of judicial delays in India, identifying several key factors: severe understaffing of judicial positions, inadequate court infrastructure, archaic procedural laws, excessive adjournments, limited technological adoption, and increasing litigation volumes. The study employed a mixed-methods approach combining analysis of case progression patterns across multiple states, field observations in district courts, and structured interviews with judges, advocates, and litigants. The findings revealed that delays stem from systemic issues rather than individual shortcomings, with interconnected factors creating compounding effects. Our research proposes a multi-faceted solution framework incorporating judicial capacity expansion, procedural code modernization, technology integration through comprehensive e-courts initiatives, specialized benches for case-type efficiency, and strengthened alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. By addressing both the immediate operational inefficiencies and underlying structural challenges, this framework offers a pathway toward meaningful court reform that balances efficiency with justice quality. This research provides a roadmap for policymakers and judicial administrators committed to transforming India's courts from institutions of delay to exemplars of timely justice delivery.

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