Gujarat courts have 17 lakh pending cases. What are the reasons for delayed justice? Read on…

More than 17.20 lakh cases are pending before district and subordinate courts across Gujarat as of November 2, 2025, with absconding accused, unavailability of counsels, and lack of interest from parties emerging as the primary culprits behind the delays, according to data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).

The backlog underscores a stark contrast to the Supreme Court's repeated assertions that the right to a speedy trial is an integral part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Key highlights from the NJDG report

Absconding Accused: The leading cause, affecting over 1.78 lakh cases.

Awaiting Documents: 47,422 cases

Unavailability of Counsels: 36,151 cases delayed.

High Court Stays: 1,538 cases on hold.

Other reasons include frequent appeals, witnesses, execution of decrees, unavailable records, and stays by district courts.

The NJDG cited 15 specific reasons for delays in 3.25 lakh cases—58,380 civil and over 2.66 lakh criminal—while no reasons were provided for approximately 13.95 lakh cases.

Of the total pending cases in lower courts, 13.84 lakh are criminal and 3.36 lakh are civil.

Alarmingly, 7.22 lakh out of the total 17.20 lakh cases that is 41.99%—have been pending for more than one year.

Additionally, 1.73 lakh cases are pending before the Gujarat High Court, though reasons for these delays are not available.