India’s special tribunals, set up to settle cases quickly, are now facing a huge problem of more than 5.24 lakh pending cases. These delays are hurting some of the most important areas of law.

Debt recovery bodies have the largest backlog, with about 2.5 lakh cases still waiting for decisions. Customs, tax, and other dispute tribunals also have tens of thousands of unresolved cases, adding to the pressure on the system.

One of the biggest issues slowing things down is the shortage of staff. Almost one in every five tribunal posts is vacant, including top positions such as chairpersons in key tribunals.

Out of 518 approved member positions, 93 are vacant, meaning there simply aren’t enough people to hear cases. As a result, matters pile up and decisions take much longer.

The Law Ministry says it is working on filling these vacancies and sorting out complicated cases more efficiently. Tribunals are also trying new methods to speed up work.

Many are now using technology, such as e-courts and hybrid hearings, which allow both online and in-person participation. Senior citizens’ cases are being given priority, and more training programmes are being planned for tribunal members.

But despite these steps, the huge backlog remains a major challenge and continues to slow down justice delivery.