The latest report from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals that 97,181 cases related to crimes against women were awaiting trial at the end of 2024. According to the 2024 figures, the conviction rate stood at a mere 17%, while the pendency percentage was alarmingly high at 92.4%.
Case Disposal and Conviction Statistics
The report shows that 14,190 cases came up for trial in 2024, even as 90,947 cases were awaiting trial from the previous year. Courts convicted the accused in 1,110 cases from the previous year, while in 2024, the accused in 104 cases were convicted. A total of 1,214 convictions were reported in 2024. In contrast, courts acquitted the accused in 5,838 cases. The accused in 78 cases were discharged, and courts completed trial in 7,130 cases. Overall, courts disposed of 7,956 cases. In 571 cases, FIRs were quashed, and in 62 instances, cases were compromised or compounded. A total of 826 cases were disposed of without trial.
Investigation Pendency and Chargesheets
The report also highlights that 3,965 cases were pending investigation from the previous year, even as 15,037 new cases were reported in 2024. In total, 19,022 cases came up for investigation during the year. At the end of 2024, 3,908 cases were pending investigation. Among these, 503 ended as 'final report false,' while 127 cases ended as 'mistake of fact or law or civil dispute.' Insufficient evidence was cited in 239 cases. Police filed chargesheets in 14,190 cases, resulting in a chargesheeting rate of 94.1% and a pendency percentage of 20.5%.
Expert Opinion on Solutions
Criminologist Ajithkumar Varma emphasized that the long-term solution to reduce pending cases is to lower the crime rate. 'For a lasting solution, the crime rate should come down through effective policing and policy making. At the same time, systems like fast-track courts handling cases of atrocities against women have improved the situation. What we can do is increase the number of such courts to clear the backlog to an extent,' he said.
