Understanding vacancies in the Indian judiciary
Distilled Policy Brief
- Supreme Court collegium has recommended 11 judges for High Courts, but appointments have been delayed; vacancy rates rose from 18% to 21% (Supreme Court 6% to 12%, High Courts 33% to 38%, subordinate courts 18% to 20%) between 2010‑2020, contributing to 4 crore pending cases.
- As of 1 Nov 2021, the Supreme Court had 1 vacancy out of 34 sanctioned posts; High Courts had 37% vacancies (406/1,098) and subordinate courts 21% vacancies (5,146/24,018) as of 20 Feb 2020, with average appointment time 5‑7 months after collegium recommendation.
- Law Commission and NCMS propose judge‑to‑population ratio (50 per million) and weighted case‑load methods to calculate optimal judge strength and reduce backlog.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Vacancy rate in High Courts was 37% as of 1 Nov 2021 (406 out of 1,098 posts).
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Delays in judicial appointments and high vacancy rates exacerbate case backlog, undermining access to justice; reforms such as judge‑to‑population ratio and weighted case‑load methods aim to optimize judicial manpower.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
According to the data for the period 2010‑2020, which of the following statements accurately describes the change in vacancy percentages in the Indian judiciary?
- [A] Vacancy in the Supreme Court rose from 6% to 12%.
- [B] Vacancy in High Courts fell from 38% to 33%.
- [C] Vacancy in subordinate courts remained unchanged at 18%.
- [D] Overall vacancy across all courts declined from 21% to 18%.
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
The text states that between 2010 and 2020, vacancy in the Supreme Court increased from 6% to 12%. The other options misstate the trends: High Court vacancies rose, subordinate court vacancies rose to 20%, and overall vacancies increased from 18% to 21%.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.