High Courts facing shortage of 327 judges

While several lakhs cases are pending in various High Courts across the country, a significant 327 posts out of total sanctioned strength of 1,114 judges in High Courts across the country have been lying vacant. Significantly, five key High Courts – Allahabad, Punjab and Haryana, Gujarat, Bombay, and Calcutta – are bearing the brunt of this shortfall, accounting for over 52 per cent of the total vacancies. These vacancies contribute to a backlog of cases, with the total number of pending cases in High Courts reaching nearly 62 lakh as of April 30. The issue extends beyond High Courts, with over 5.1 crore cases pending across all courts nationwide. The Allahabad High Court, for instance, faces a vacancy rate of 43 per cent, with 69 posts – out of total 160 – lying vacant. Likewise, the Gujarat High Court faces a 44 per cent shortfall. Similarly, High Courts of Patna and Rajasthan have a high vacancy rate of 36 per cent.