In a tragic incident that has exposed the severe work pressure and staff shortages plaguing Delhi's judicial system, court staff at the Saket Court complex held a sit-in and candlelight march on Friday. The protest followed the death by suicide of a 43-year-old record keeper, Harish Singh Mahar, who cited an unbearable workload in his suicide note.
Protest Erupts Over Colleague's Death
The day's events unfolded after Mahar, who had been working at the court since 2010, jumped to his death from the fifth floor of the court building. A large group of staffers gathered outside the Saket Court, surrounded by police personnel, for nearly two hours. They were waiting for a delegation representing them to conclude a meeting with the Principal District and Sessions Judges, where they discussed the immense daily challenges they face.
After the meeting, a staffer who participated revealed the judges' response: "They told us that anyone who has a problem can go to them before or after court hours and give their problems in writing." This suggestion was met with anguish from the crowd. "But they are reminded of this when one of us dies," came a sharp retort, highlighting the perceived apathy until a tragedy strikes.
A Suicide Note Highlighting Systemic Failure
The suicide note left by Harish Singh Mahar painted a grim picture of the working conditions. "I am 60% handicapped… this job is very tough for me and I succumbed to the pressure…," the note read. Officials confirmed that Mahar, who worked as an Ahlmad (record keeper) in a Digital Traffic Challan court, was personally managing a staggering load of close to 8,900 cases.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting, the staffers expressed their frustration. "Our demands are related to compensation, FIR (in the suicide case), and fixing responsibility….in my opinion, nothing concrete has been done…they've shirked away from their duties," said another staffer who was part of the discussions.
Chronic Staff Shortages and Massive Backlogs
The protest brought to the fore long-standing systemic issues. Staffers complained of a critical shortage of clerical employees across Delhi's courts, with one person often handling the work meant for four. "There is a shortage of 3,000 clerical employees in Delhi's courts," a court staffer stated, adding ominously, "Perhaps many others are thinking of suicide right now."
Official data underscores the crisis. Court staff, including Ahlmads, assistants, and readers, are operating at only about 80% of their sanctioned strength, which hasn't been revised in two decades. Out of a sanctioned strength of 4,011, a massive 733 posts (19%) lie vacant.
The shortage directly fuels a massive case backlog. Magistrate courts in Southeast districts have an average pendency of 2,200 cases, with many operating at half their required employee strength. Cheque bounce courts have an even higher average pendency of nearly 7,900 cases. Between 2018 and 2025, district courts in Delhi saw an average annual gap of nearly 1.3 lakh cases between those instituted and those disposed of. Currently, close to 16 lakh cases are pending.
"Backlog badh raha hai. 15-20 saal se post nahi create kari thi…kaise kaam kare hum log (The backlog is increasing… New posts have not been created for 15-20 years… how do we work?)," lamented a court employee.
Escalation and Call for Boycott
Feeling their concerns were being dismissed, the protest escalated. A staffer in the crowd called for a boycott of the National Lok Adalat scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2026. The suggestion was met with unanimous support through synchronized clapping.
Subsequently, close to a hundred staffers began a candlelight march from Saket Court to the Delhi High Court, roughly 10 km away. They were joined by colleagues from the Patiala House Court along the way. The groups collectively announced a work abstention for the Lok Adalat, stating in a note: "We stand in solidarity with the family of the late Harish Ji."
The incident has cast a harsh spotlight on the human cost of administrative neglect within India's overburdened judicial infrastructure, raising urgent questions about workload management and mental health support for court employees.
