The number of cases pending trial at the beginning of each year has been on a steady increase, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data has shown.
The 'Crime in India 2015' report revealed that 1.55 crore criminal cases are pending in lower courts as on December 31, 2015, with 90.13 lakh cases having been charged under the IPCand 64.98 lakh under special laws like the Arms Act, Environmental (Protection) Act and Trademarks Act.
The numbers would be much higher if the yet-to-be-concluded civil cases were to be taken into account.
Existing vacancies for judges in lower courts coupled with frequent adjournment pleas and non-appearance are some of the reasons legal experts offer for the piling cases.
While the sanctioned strength of the lower judiciary courts is 20,502, 21.61% (4,432) of that remain vacant, government figures reveal.
While the pending criminal cases under the IPC at the beginning of 2014 were 79.74 lakh, it rose to 84.53 lakh in January 2015 and climbed further to 90.13 lakh by the year-end.
In the beginning of 2014, there were 52.23 lakh pending cases under special laws. It grew to 58.22 lakh by the year end and 64.98 lakh by December 2015.
Among the states, Maharashtra had 15.83 lakh cases under the IPC that went to trial in 2015, of which 14.59 lakh remain undecided. West Bengal had 10.76 lakh pending cases out of the 11.10 lakh on trial.
Karnataka had an astounding pendency rate of 78.5%, with 2.95 lakh pending cases out of 3.77 lakh cases that went to trial last year.
In Delhi, the number of pending cases were 88.9% as 1.69 lakh out of 1.99 lakh cases remained inconclusive.
The judiciary alone could not be held responsible for the pending cases since 11.40 lakh out of 40.10 lakh cases investigated by the police in the country remained unsolved.
The 'Crime in India 2015' report revealed that 1.55 crore criminal cases are pending in lower courts as on December 31, 2015, with 90.13 lakh cases having been charged under the IPCand 64.98 lakh under special laws like the Arms Act, Environmental (Protection) Act and Trademarks Act.
The numbers would be much higher if the yet-to-be-concluded civil cases were to be taken into account.
Existing vacancies for judges in lower courts coupled with frequent adjournment pleas and non-appearance are some of the reasons legal experts offer for the piling cases.
While the sanctioned strength of the lower judiciary courts is 20,502, 21.61% (4,432) of that remain vacant, government figures reveal.
While the pending criminal cases under the IPC at the beginning of 2014 were 79.74 lakh, it rose to 84.53 lakh in January 2015 and climbed further to 90.13 lakh by the year-end.
In the beginning of 2014, there were 52.23 lakh pending cases under special laws. It grew to 58.22 lakh by the year end and 64.98 lakh by December 2015.
Among the states, Maharashtra had 15.83 lakh cases under the IPC that went to trial in 2015, of which 14.59 lakh remain undecided. West Bengal had 10.76 lakh pending cases out of the 11.10 lakh on trial.
Karnataka had an astounding pendency rate of 78.5%, with 2.95 lakh pending cases out of 3.77 lakh cases that went to trial last year.
In Delhi, the number of pending cases were 88.9% as 1.69 lakh out of 1.99 lakh cases remained inconclusive.
The judiciary alone could not be held responsible for the pending cases since 11.40 lakh out of 40.10 lakh cases investigated by the police in the country remained unsolved.