SC Raises Concern Over 41-Year Appeal Delay, Allahabad High Court Pendency

New Delhi, Jul 22 (KNN) The Supreme Court's recent observations over a criminal appeal that remained pending in the Allahabad High Court for nearly 41 years have brought renewed attention to Uttar Pradesh's growing judicial backlog, with official data showing the state accounts for a significant share of pending cases across the higher and subordinate judiciary.

During a hearing on June 8, a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and A.S. Chaudhari termed the delay in deciding the appeal of a murder convict as ‘disturbing’ and sought suggestions on innovative measures to address rising pendency in the Allahabad High Court.

Allahabad High Court Tops Pendency List

According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the Allahabad High Court had over 12 lakh pending cases as of early 2026, the highest among all high courts.

The backlog has risen steadily from around 10.24 lakh cases in 2021 to over 12 lakh in 2026, accounting for nearly 19 percent of the total pendency across the country's 25 high courts, reported Hindustan Times.

Of the pending cases, around 6.17 lakh are civil matters and 5.76 lakh are criminal cases. Data from the Indian Justice Report also indicate that nearly 40 percent of the court's pending cases are more than a decade old.

Vacancies Add To Judicial Burden

The pendency is further compounded by judicial vacancies. As of December 2025, the Allahabad High Court had around 60 vacant judges' posts against a sanctioned strength of 160.

The pressure is more acute in Uttar Pradesh's subordinate judiciary. According to the National Judicial Data Grid, district and subordinate courts in the state were handling over 1.19 crore pending cases by mid-June 2026, accounting for nearly one-fourth of the country's total lower court pendency of about 4.96 crore cases.

Parliamentary data also showed that Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of vacancies in the subordinate judiciary, with 1,055 judicial officer posts lying vacant in 2025.

Nearly 40 percent of pending cases in subordinate courts are over five years old, with thousands remaining unresolved for more than two decades.

Reforms Proposed To Reduce Delays

The Supreme Court has recently proposed measures to reduce judicial delays, including automated case listing, fixed timelines for disposal of bail applications, software-based scheduling, and curbs on avoidable adjournments, emphasising that prolonged delays affect the right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Officials said efforts are underway to address the issue through judicial appointments and the establishment of new courts, while a collegium meeting for filling vacancies in the Allahabad High Court is expected soon.

(KNN Bureau)