A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on Tuesday (September 23, 2025) linked the sense of “stagnation” in subordinate judicial services to prolonged litigation and pendency in Indian courts.
The Bench said a weary feeling of inertness was creeping into the ranks of the district judiciary, especially among young minds who spend years in subordinate judicial services with little or no prospect of professional recognition or career advancement.
The pendency in district courts is 4.69 crore cases according to the National Judicial Data Grid, of which 3.69 crore are criminal cases and 1.09 crore are civil cases.
Justice M.M. Sundresh said a vibrant district judiciary represented a healthy institution and was part of the basic structure of the Constitution. He spoke of a bright law clerk whom he had persuaded to join the judicial service, “I met her recently and she was worried where her career would end up,” the senior judge said.
“The idea is for the public to get qualitative services from judicial officers. But when the system does not facilitate these judicial officers, it is acting contrary to the Constitution,” Justice Sundresh pointed out.
