Judicial Vacancies Push Up Pending Cases

A shortage of judges in the High Court and district courts is contributing to the growing backlog of cases in Telangana. According to the Supreme Court’s Indian Judiciary Annual Report 2024–25, the state had 11.67 lakh pending cases as of June 30, 2025, including 2.29 lakh in the High Court and 9.3 lakh in the district judiciary. Around 32,000 High Court cases have remained pending for more than a decade. Against a sanctioned strength of 42 judges, the High Court currently has only 27, leaving 15 vacancies.

Despite the judicial backlog, Telangana has made progress in infrastructure and technology. Twenty new projects are under construction across the state, including 61 new court halls and 30 residential complexes. The High Court has also established 99 e-Sewa Kendras across various courts as part of its efforts to digitise judicial services. The report noted that compared with 25 High Courts across the country, Telangana’s High Court has a moderate level of case pendency.