Overcrowding, delays, and inadequate accountability alike issues, highlighted in the recently released India Justice Report (IJR) 2025, published by Tata Trusts

The India Justice Report (IJR) serves as a national periodic evaluation that assesses the effectiveness of India's justice system across four fundamental pillars: police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid. It ranks states based on their performance in these domains, utilizing metrics such as human resources, infrastructure, budgets, workload, and diversity.

Key findings from the India Justice Report 2025 include:

Judicial Backlog and Vacancies: The number of pending cases has surpassed five crore, with high courts and district courts experiencing vacancy rates of 33% and 21%, respectively. The recommended ratio is 50 judges per 10 lakh population, while the current figure stands at 15 judges per 10 lakh. Judges in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Kerala are managing workloads that exceed 4,000 cases each.

Policing and Rural Neglect: The police-to-population ratio is currently 155 personnel per 100,000 individuals, which is below the sanctioned strength of 197. The number of rural police stations has decreased, impacting the accessibility of law enforcement.

While 83% of police stations are equipped with at least one CCTV camera, Jharkhand has less than 50% coverage. Women in police forces predominantly occupy constabulary positions, which limits their representation in leadership roles.

Prison Overcrowding: Numerous prisons are operating at occupancy rates exceeding 250% between 2020 and 2022, with Uttar Pradesh alone housing 18 such facilities, exacerbating conditions for inmates. A staggering 76% of prisoners are undertrials, with Delhi surpassing 90%.

Legal Aid Accessibility: The per capita expenditure on legal aid is notably low at ₹6.46, which restricts access for marginalized groups. The number of paralegal volunteers has seen a decline of 38% since 2019.

Diversity and Representation: Karnataka is the sole state that fulfills the quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in both the police and judiciary.

At the current rate, it will take Jharkhand 206 years to achieve 33% female representation in the police force, whereas Andhra Pradesh is projected to reach this goal in just 3 years.

State-Level Insights:

In large states with populations exceeding 10 million, Karnataka maintains its leading position, while Andhra Pradesh has advanced to second place from fifth. Telangana, which was ranked eleventh in 2019, has successfully held onto its third position.

Chhattisgarh has demonstrated the most significant increase in police training expenditures and boasts a 100% case clearance rate at both the High Court and district levels. Additionally, every police station is equipped with a women’s help desk.

In small states, defined as those with populations up to 10 million, Sikkim continues to hold the top rank and is the sole state to achieve the benchmark of 33% women judges in High Courts.

All small states have a representation of one in every three district court judges, with Goa (70%) and Meghalaya (61%) leading the way. Furthermore, over 80% of police stations in all small states are equipped with at least one CCTV system.

Essential Recommendations Outlined in the Report:

Accelerate the appointment of judges to fill vacancies in high and district courts. Implement strategies to address the backlog of five crore pending cases, utilizing technology-driven solutions such as e-courts. Enhance the police-to-population ratio and improve rural policing to counter the reduction in rural police stations, ensuring fair law enforcement.

Alleviate prison overcrowding and prioritize undertrial cases by expanding prison facilities and promoting alternatives to incarceration, including community service and bail reforms. Increase funding for legal aid, raising the current per capita expenditure of ₹6.46 to enhance accessibility for marginalized groups.

Reinforce paralegal networks by revitalizing the volunteer base, which has seen a 38% decline since 2019. Promote diversity and representation by ensuring the inclusion of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and women within the police, judiciary, and legal aid systems.

Embrace technology and innovation by incorporating forensic science and alternative dispute resolution methods to enhance operational efficiency. Implement e-governance by broadening the use of digital tools for case management and improving public access to justice services.