Pune District Court Backlog Soars to 6.94 Lakh Cases, Reflecting Statewide Issue

Pune, 3rd January 2025: The number of pending cases in the District and Sessions Court in Pune is increasing daily, with the total reaching nearly 7 lakh. According to the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), there are 6.94 lakh pending cases in the Pune District Court. The backlog began to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic when courts across the country prioritized only essential matters.

Despite more than three years passing since the height of the pandemic, there has been no significant reduction in the number of pending cases. The District and Sessions Court in Pune faces challenges with basic services and facilities. The most pressing issue is the lack of human resources, including insufficient police staff for judicial work, which hampers the court’s operations.

In Pune’s Shivajinagar District and Sessions Court, the breakdown of pending cases is as follows:

– Civil cases: 1.81 lakh
– Criminal cases: 5.12 lakh
– Total pending cases: 6.94 lakh[9]

The situation in Pune reflects a broader issue across Maharashtra. The state’s courts face a total of 54.16 lakh pending cases, comprising:

– Civil cases: 16.94 lakh
– Criminal cases: 37.22 lakh

This backlog persists despite efforts to address the issue, such as the implementation of Fast Track Courts (FTCs) and Lok Adalats. The central government has also expressed concern over the backlog of citizen grievances in Maharashtra, indicating a systemic problem in addressing legal and administrative issues in the state.