Telangana HC backlog climbs to 2.33 lakh
Law Minister informs Lok Sabha: Telangana HC cases hit 2.33 lakh; vacancies and lower court pendency also rise.
Telangana Courts’ Growing Backlog: A Quiet Crisis Draining Dreams and Justice
Picture this: a young farmer in Warangal, land dispute dragging since his father’s death. Or a Hyderabad mom, fighting for her child’s custody, hearing “next date” month after month. On Friday, February 13, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal laid bare the harsh truth in Lok Sabha—prompted by Chevella BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy. Telangana High Court pending cases crept up 0.82% in two years: 2,31,975 as of December 31, 2023, to 2,33,866 by December 31, 2025. Subordinate courts? A steeper 6.12% climb, hitting families where it hurts most
It’s not just numbers; it’s lives on hold. That farmer misses sowing seasons; the mom watches her kid grow distant. Meghwal’s reply spotlights a system wheezing under weight—14 judge posts vacant at the High Court, stalling justice like a stalled monsoon. Imagine judges juggling piles, adjournments piling up from absent lawyers, elusive witnesses, or stacked stay orders. Criminal cases linger with runaway accused; civil ones twist in complexity. For everyday Telanganites, it’s red tape strangling hope.
Zoom into the human toll. In lower courts, disputes over family plots, dowry harassments, petty crimes fester. A Nalgonda widow waits years for pension dues; a Karimnagar trader loses business to delayed debt recovery. High Court writs—pleas for jobs, promotions, freedoms—swell to lakhs, mirroring our aspirational chaos. Vacancies exacerbate it: sanctioned strength strained, new judges slow to appoint. Critics whisper of lawyer tactics prolonging fees, but blame spreads—infra lags, docs delay, stakeholders slack.
Yet, glimmers persist. Disposal rates tick up slightly, tech like e-filing eases some load. But pendency mocks progress. Over 55,000 cases decade-old statewide; High Court holds ghosts from 1967—nearly six decades of limbo. One 1975 lower court file? Still dusty. Legal eagles pin it on shortages: 115 judicial officer posts empty in districts since 2023. High Court runs on 30 of 42 judges. Without fills, backlogs balloon, eroding faith. Remember the jubilant uncle at a verdict? Rare now; queues grow longer.
MP Reddy’s question echoes public cries—from social media rants to chai-stall gripes. Telangana, tech-savvy and youthful, deserves swift wheels of justice. Revanth Reddy’s government eyes reforms: fast-track courts, more judges, digital dockets. But Lok Sabha data demands action—fill vacancies, cut adjournments, boost infra. For the aam aadmi, it’s personal: justice delayed is justice denied, fraying social fabric.
As 2026 unfolds, hope flickers. Will 14 new robes arrive? Can subordinate courts stem 6% bleed? Families pray yes. Until then, pendency isn’t stats—it’s stolen time, broken trusts. Meghwal’s words urge: fix it, for Telangana’s soul.