Assam reports 5.75 lakh pending court cases, 40 judge posts remain vacant

Assam has a total of 5,75,541 pending cases across its courts, while 40 judicial posts remain vacant, the state government informed the Assembly on Tuesday, July 21.

Replying to an unstarred question by MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Law and Justice Minister Sushanta Borgohain said Assam has 486 sanctioned posts for judges, of which 446 are currently filled and 40 remain vacant. He said the process to fill the remaining vacancies is underway, adding that some courts continue to remain non-functional due to inadequate infrastructure.

According to data placed before the House, as of May 31, 2026, the total pending cases in the state's courts stood at 5,75,541, including 1,14,296 civil cases and 4,61,245 criminal cases.

The minister also presented figures on case disposal by subordinate courts over the last five years. In 2021, the courts disposed of 35,536 civil cases and 1,46,810 criminal cases. The number rose to 45,184 civil and 2,26,175 criminal cases in 2022, followed by 45,555 civil and 3,27,728 criminal cases in 2023. In 2024, the courts disposed of 50,483 civil cases and 2,33,399 criminal cases, while in 2025, the figures stood at 53,348 civil cases and 1,95,636 criminal cases.

The government informed the Assembly that 40 Fast Track Courts and six Special Courts are currently functioning in Assam, while the state does not have any Commercial Courts.

To expedite the disposal of cases involving women and children, the government said it has implemented multiple initiatives, including the 181 Women Helpline, Sakhi One Stop Centres, POCSO Courts, Child-Friendly Police Centres, the Shishu Mitra Helpline, and the e-Courts Project, which has now been rolled out across all courts in the state.

The minister further stated that Lok Adalats disposed of 5,71,226 cases over the last five years, contributing to efforts aimed at reducing judicial pendency.

The Assembly was also informed that, as of July 13, 2026, Assam had 7,904 undertrial prisoners, including 1,049 inmates who have remained under trial for prolonged periods.