In a significant move aimed at ensuring timely justice for the most vulnerable, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant has introduced a four-category system to prioritise the listing and hearing of petitions filed by socially, physically, and financially disadvantaged individuals.
Four Key Categories for Fast-Track Justice
The new framework specifically targets cases filed by disabled individuals and acid attack survivors. It also covers senior citizens above the age of 80, persons officially recognised as below the poverty line (BPL), and those who have approached the court through legal aid services that provide free advocate assistance to poor litigants.
The initiative was necessitated by the reality that such critical cases often got lost in the sheer volume of filings. On Mondays and Fridays, when 16 benches of the Supreme Court entertain fresh petitions, around 800 cases are typically listed. The new categorisation is designed to ensure these priority matters are not overlooked in the crowd.
Mandatory Documentation and Procedure
A circular issued by the Supreme Court registry has laid down a clear procedure. It mandates that "Members of the Bar, parties-in-person and all stakeholders are required to invariably mention the relevant head... under which the matter actually falls, in all the fresh petitions to be filed."
Furthermore, they must submit an appropriate application or letter along with documentary proof issued by an appropriate government authority. The registry has also requested that these details be provided for pending matters to allow for re-categorisation and subsequent prioritisation in listing.
Context: A Court of Unmatched Volume
This reform is set against the backdrop of the Indian Supreme Court's humongous caseload, which is unmatched by any other top court in the world by a huge margin. In the year 2025 alone, a staggering 75,280 cases were filed in the Supreme Court – comprising 51,357 civil and 23,923 criminal matters.
The court demonstrated remarkable efficiency by deciding 65,403 cases, which is 87% of the total filings. This included 42,793 civil and 22,610 criminal case disposals. This workload stands in stark contrast to other major democracies.
- The United States Supreme Court, while receiving thousands of petitions annually, typically accepts only 70-80 cases for full arguments.
- The United Kingdom Supreme Court, till December 29 of the reported period, had received just over 200 cases and delivered around 50 judgments.
- In comparison, the Indian Supreme Court delivered 1,400 lengthy judgments and thousands of orders to clear its docket.
The year 2025 saw three Chief Justices at the helm: Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, and Surya Kant. Justice Surya Kant's tenure as CJI is set to continue until February 2027, when he retires. The following year, 2027, is slated to see a record four Chief Justices: Justices Surya Kant, Vikram Nath (from February to September), B V Nagarathna (for 37 days), and P S Narasimha.
