Parliament Question: Cheque Bounce Cases in Courts

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2129 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 31ST JULY, 2026 CHEQUE BOUNCE CASES IN COURTS †2129. SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT: Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state: (a) the total number of cheque bounce cases under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act pending in the District Courts of Delhi particularly in the Patiala House Court (New Delhi District) as per the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG); (b) the average number of hearings required for the final disposal of a cheque bounce case in the Patiala House Courts despite the statutory mandate of its expeditious disposal within six months under section 143 of the Act; (c) whether the Government has maintained any data regarding the percentage of pending cases out of the total registered cases in the said court in which three or more hearings have already been completed; (d) the average number of cases being listed per month in the Digital NI Act Courts of Patiala House Courts during the current year and the average percentage of cases disposed of every month; and (e) whether the Government is aware of the impact on the monthly disposal rate of the cases following the recent transfer of judges of these Digital NI Act Courts to the Rouse Avenue Court Complex? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL) (a): As per data available on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), as on 27.07.2026, the total number of cheque bounce cases under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act pending in the District Courts of Delhi particularly in the Patiala House Court (New Delhi District) are at Annexure. (b): As per information available, approximately 30-40 hearings are required for the final disposal of a cheque bounce case in Patiala House Court. (c): The data pertaining to pending cases of all types are available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), case-wise along with order sheets. 1(d): The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi vide its order No. 46/DHC/Gaz-IIB/G-7/VI.E.2(a)/2025 dated 18th November, 2025, has abolished Digital NI Act Courts functioning at Rouse Avenue Court Complex under the jurisdiction of Patiala House Court. The pending matters have been transferred to physical courts of Judicial Magistrate First Class. (e): Disposal of cases is within the exclusive domain of the judiciary. Moreover, the impact on disposal rates following the transfer of judges of the Digital NI Act Courts to the Rouse Avenue Court Complex has not been studied. **** 2ANNEXURE STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2129 FOR ANSWER ON 31.07.2026 REGARDING CHEQUE BOUNCE CASES IN COURTS OF DELHI Sr. No. District Courts of Delhi No. of pending cheque bounce cases 1. Central (Tis Hazari Court Complex) 48061 2. East (Karkardooma Court Complex) 16844 3. New Delhi (Patiala House Court Complex) 94663 4. North (Rohini Court Complex) 16199 5. North East (Karkardooma Court Complex) 6844 6. North West (Rohini Court Complex) 28483 7. Shahdara (Karkardooma Court Complex) 13705 8. South (Saket Court Complex) 28612 9. South East (Saket Court Complex) 53269 10. South West (Dwarka Court Complex) 113898 11. West (Tis Hazari Court Complex) 21502 Total 442080 Source: National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) 3