'Want to tell you the raw data': CJI Chandrachud on 'hiking pendency' in SC

Outgoing Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud on Friday responded to the allegations that the pendency of cases in the apex court has gone up during his tenure.

In his remarks at the farewell function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the CJI said that in the last two years, 1,11,000 cases were filed, 5,33,000 cases were listed, and 1,07,000 cases were disposed of.

“You probably read somewhere that the pendency of the Supreme Court has gone up to 82,000 cases. I want to tell you the raw data. Before November 2022, unregistered/defective cases were never put on public domain and accounted for,” he said.

CJI Chandrachud said that when he took over as Chief Justice in November 2022, he found that around 1,500 files were stashed up in the cupboard of a Registrar. "I said this has to change. Every case which enters the system has to be tagged with a number. We decided to put data of all pending cases in the public domain, whether registered or unregistered."

"On January 1, 2020, 79,000 cases were pending, including what we now call the defective cases. That number on January 1, 2022, went up to 93,000 cases. On January 1, 2024, the number came down to 82,000 cases. So this includes both registered and unregistered cases and the number has decreased by 11,000 in 2 years."

CJI Chandrachud said that the filing of cases has doubled in the top court and while 21,000 bail cases were filed in the last two years, 21,358 bail pleas were disposed of by the SC judges. Appreciating his companion judges, he said that each of his colleagues worked beyond the call of duty and accepted the work given by him as the Chief Justice.

After a two-year-long stint in the highest judicial office of the country, CJI Chandrachud is due to retire on November 10 on attaining the age of 65 years. He was first appointed as judge of the Bombay High Court on March 29, 2000, and has also served as Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court since October 31, 2013, until his elevation as an apex court judge on May 13, 2016.

CJI Chandrachud passed BA with honours in economics from St Stephen's College, New Delhi and completed LLB from Campus Law Centre, Delhi University. In June 1998, he was designated as a senior advocate by the Bombay High Court. He also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 till 2000.

After CJI Chandrachud recommended the name of Justice Sanjiv Khanna as his successor last month, the Centre has cleared the appointment of Justice Khanna as the 51st CJI with effect from November 11.