Over 14 Lakh Cases Pending in Haryana Courts Highlight Judicial Crisis

The Haryana judiciary is grappling with a massive backlog of 14,30,151 cases, revealing a deepening crisis in the state's justice delivery system. According to the National Judicial Data Grid, over 70% of these cases have remained unresolved for more than a year, raising serious concerns about access to timely justice. 

Breaking down the numbers, the data shows that of the total pending cases, 4,37,826 are civil matters while 9,92,325 are criminal cases. The severity of the situation is highlighted by the fact that 72.88% of civil cases and 70.29% of criminal cases have been pending for over a year. 

The age-wise distribution of cases presents a concerning pattern:

• Less than one year: 4,13,516 cases (29%)
• One to three years: 5,25,147 cases (37%) 
• Three to five years: 2,75,930 cases (19%)  
• Five to ten years: 2,11,729 cases (15%)
• Over a decade: 3,829 cases (0.3%) 

The crisis particularly affects vulnerable groups, with 1,06,457 cases filed by women (7% of total) and 97,790 cases involving senior citizens remaining unresolved. Additionally, 72,844 pre-litigation and pre-trial matters are pending, with 21.69% exceeding one year. 

Multiple factors contribute to these delays, with the absence of counsel leading the list at 2,72,588 cases. Stay orders (84,346 cases) and witness-related delays (40,655 cases) follow as major impediments. Other significant factors include absconding accused, unavailable documents, frequent appeals, and lack of interest from parties.

The situation affects all 21 sessions divisions in Haryana, resulting in extended adjournments, reduced hearing frequencies, and prolonged undertrial periods. Legal experts emphasize that these delays not only violate fundamental rights but also erode public confidence in the judicial system, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reforms.