SRINAGAR, Aug 2: The pendency of cases in District and Subordinate Courts across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir continues to rise due to increasing litigation, shortage of judicial officers, and delays in establishing new courts. Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Ladakh is grappling with the absence of court infrastructure in half of its sub-divisions — according to a report published in Daily Excelsior.
The situation came to light through replies submitted in the Lok Sabha by Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, in response to questions on judicial backlog and infrastructure.
As per the data shared, the number of pending cases in J&K’s District and Subordinate Courts rose from 198,771 in December 2020 to 216,245 in December 2021. By the end of 2022, it further increased to 272,543, and as of July 28, 2025, the pendency had reached 335,513 cases. In the Union Territory of Ladakh, 1,417 cases are currently pending.
Out of the 322 sanctioned posts of Judicial Officers in J&K, 50 remain vacant. Similarly, in Ladakh, seven posts are unfilled. Officials from the High Court Registry said that although courts are disposing of cases at a significant rate, the volume of incoming cases has surpassed their capacity, citing increased awareness, population growth, and socio-economic challenges as contributing factors.
“In several districts, judicial officers are burdened with caseloads far exceeding manageable limits, seriously affecting timely justice delivery,” an official remarked. “The judge-to-population ratio remains significantly below national benchmarks.”
Additionally, 45,296 cases are pending before the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, according to data presented in Parliament. The Law Ministry stated that the Government has taken several initiatives to improve judicial functioning and speed up case disposal under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Replying to a query from Ladakh MP Mohd Haneefa, the Law Minister informed that of the 10 sub-divisions in Ladakh, only five — Zanskar, Sankoo, Khaltsi, Nubra, and Drass — have functioning court infrastructure. The remaining five continue to operate without proper judicial facilities.
To bridge the gap, ₹8.33 crore has been released under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) over the past five years, with another ₹2 crore earmarked for 2025–26. At present, Ladakh has 11 court halls and four residential units, while four more court halls and two residences are under construction.
From January 2022 to the end of 2024, the National Lok Adalat settled 5,375 cases in Ladakh, while the State Lok Adalat resolved 240. The UT has also introduced Special Mobile Magistrate Courts in Kargil and Leh, and over 1,500 residents have received assistance through NALSA’s toll-free legal aid helpline introduced in August 2024.