In 2023, the Supreme Court concluded a record-breaking 52,191 cases, surpassing the 49,191 cases registered with its Registry, as per the data disclosed by the apex court.
Throughout the year, the apex court issued verdicts on numerous long-pending cases before the Constitution bench.
These included the approval of the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, the denial of legal recognition to same-sex marriages, and the affirmation that the Delhi government holds “legislative and executive power over services” in the national capital.
According to a statement released by the top court, “In another achievement, the Supreme Court of India has been able to dispose of 52,191 cases starting from January 1, 2023, to December 15, 2023, which includes 45,642 miscellaneous matters and around 6,549 regular matters.
The total disposal in the year 2023 stands at 52,191 in comparison to the total registration of cases, which was 49,191.
This shows that this year the Supreme Court was able to dispose of more cases as compared to the cases registered during the said period.”
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud expedited the timeframe for filing the listing of matters, reducing the filing time from 10 days to 7-5 days.
The statement noted, “In his tenure, there was a paradigm shift in the filing to the listing of the cases, where in place of 10 days, from listing to filing, the same was reduced to within seven to five days of listing after verification of the matter.”
The top court highlighted the formation of five judges and seven judges benches, with two seven-judge matters being heard.
In one case, the judgment was reserved, while in another, the judgment was pronounced.
Notable cases, such as those related to Article 370, arbitration matters regarding stamped documents and their admissibility, the operation of heavy motor vehicles on normal licenses, resolution of conflicts between the Delhi government and the Centre, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly matters, LGBTQ rights, and other important issues, were heard and adjudicated.
The court also successfully reduced the pendency of five-judge Constitution bench matters from 36 to 19, with judgments reserved in four matters.
Additionally, matters pertaining to seven judges and nine judges were addressed, with scheduled dates for hearings.
Between May 22, 2023, and July 2, 2023, the court disposed of 2,262 matters related to human liberty out of a total of 780 matters disposed of.
The statement concluded, “The Supreme Court of India’s unprecedented disposal in the year 2023 marks a watershed moment in the nation’s legal history. The judiciary’s proactive approach, coupled with the adoption of technology and strategic reforms, has set a new standard for timely and efficient justice delivery. This achievement not only reflects the resilience and adaptability of the Indian legal system but also reaffirms the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the principles of justice in a rapidly evolving world.”
