Relevance: GS-2 (Judiciary, Governance) | Source: BusinessLine

India’s judicial system is under deep stress—over 5 crore pending cases, slow disposal rates, and low judge-to-population ratios. BusinessLine highlights how delays hurt economic productivity, investor confidence, and citizens’ access to justice.

Why the System Needs Reform – Key Structural Problems

• Massive Pendency: Cases drag for years due to inadequate staffing and infrastructure.
  
• Low Judicial Capacity: India has ~21 judges per million population—far below global norms.
  
• Underuse of Technology: Digital tools remain limited beyond e-Courts basic functions.
  
• Procedural Complexities: Frequent adjournments, inconsistent timelines, and manual processes delay justice.
  
• Economic Impact: Contract enforcement delays lower India’s Ease of Doing Business performance; judicial uncertainty discourages investment.
  

Reform Pathways

• Increase judicial strength across all levels; fill vacancies faster.
  
• Modernise courts through digital infrastructure: e-filing, virtual hearings, data dashboards, AI-assisted case listing.
  
• Introduce time-bound processes for civil and commercial cases.
  
• Strengthen Alternative Dispute Resolution: mediation, arbitration centres, Lok Adalats.
  
• Build modern court complexes and upgrade subordinate courts where pendency is highest.
  
• Judicial data reforms: transparent performance metrics, national judicial statistics authority.
  

Q. With reference to judicial reforms in India, consider the following:

1. Increasing judge-to-population ratio improves judicial capacity.
   
2. Digital courts and e-filing can reduce pendency.
   
3. Lok Adalats function under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
   

Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3