**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to Unstarred Question No. 1007 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for December 5, 2025, regarding the disposal and pendency of cases in various tribunals. It provides year-wise details of case disposal and pendency since 2020 and outlines steps taken by the government and tribunals to expedite case disposal and reduce pendency. The data is summarized in an annexure.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Data on Disposal and Pendency:**
* Year-wise details of total cases disposed of and pending since 2020 are provided in an Annexure for major tribunals, including NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal, and NGT.
* Significant variations in the overall time frame for final adjudication are noted due to the nature, complexity, stage-wise procedures, repeated re-hearings, and other operational variables.
* **Government Efforts to Expedite Disposal:**
* The government is making efforts to facilitate the expeditious disposal of pending cases in Tribunals, taking necessary steps as per the Acts under which the Tribunals function.
* Measures are being taken to indicate timelines within which appeals should preferably be disposed of.
* **Tribunal Measures for Speedy Disposal:**
* Filling vacancies of Members on a regular basis.
* Using technology through hybrid hearing.
* Conducting regular colloquiums for capacity building of members.
* Prioritizing cases of senior citizens.
* Scrutinizing and identifying cases covered by decisions of High Courts and the Supreme Court.
* Disposing of cases using schemes such as Vivad Se Vishwas and Below tax effect appeals.
* Setting up Single Benches for expeditious adjudication.
* Holding Circuit Benches in different States.
* Identifying and listing appeals arising out of the same impugned orders for final disposal at one stroke.
* Sending Members to other benches where there is vacancy to dispose of pending cases.
* Mandatory e-filing of applications.
* Adopting a hybrid hearing system.
* Conducting regular training of Presiding Officers, Members, and other officers.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholders Impacted**
* **Litigants/Appellants:**
* **Impact:** Affected by the speed and efficiency of case disposal; benefit from measures aimed at reducing pendency.
* **Action Required:** Utilize e-filing systems, cooperate with hybrid hearing processes, and be aware of schemes like Vivad Se Vishwas.
* **Tribunal Members and Staff:**
* **Impact:** Affected by changes in procedures, workload, and training opportunities.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs, implement new processes for case management, and utilize technology effectively.
* **Government (Ministry of Law and Justice):**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing policies and measures to reduce pendency and improve efficiency across tribunals.
* **Action Required:** Monitor case disposal rates, fill vacancies promptly, and ensure that tribunals are equipped with the necessary resources and infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Lok Sabha: Parliament of India, where this question was raised.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The ministry responsible for addressing the question about the disposal and pendency of cases in tribunals.
Tribunals: The primary subject of the policy and the focus of the question, referring to various tribunals like NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, NGT etc.
NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal, NGT: Key tribunals mentioned in the policy whose case disposal and pendency are being discussed.
Vivad Se Vishwas: A scheme used for disposal of cases.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1007
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 5th DECEMBER,2025
DISPOSAL AND PENDENCY OF CASES IN TRIBUNALS
1007. Thiru Arun Nehru:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the total number of cases disposed of, cases pending, and average time for disposal in each
major tribunal, including NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal and NGT,
since 2020, year-wise;
(b) the details of steps taken to address high pendency and regional disparities in case disposal
rates across tribunals; and
(c) the targets set for periodic reduction in pending cases and the monitoring mechanism
adopted to ensure performance improvement and timely resolution?
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): Year-wise details of total number of cases disposed of and pending in major tribunal
like NCLT, NCLAT, DRT, Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal and NGT since 2020 is at
Annexure. In view of the nature and kind of cases, their complexity, stage-wise procedures
involved, repeated re-hearings and other operational variables involved for final adjudication
of cases being handled by each of the Tribunal such a computation cause significant variation
in the overall time frame.
(b) & (c): Government has been making all out efforts to facilitate expeditious disposal of
pending cases in Tribunals and is taking all necessary steps as per the Acts under which the
Tribunals function and provide for indicating timeline within which appeal should preferably
dispose of. Various measures are also undertaken by the Tribunals for speedy disposal of
pending cases which include; Filling up of vacancies of Members on regular basis as soon as
posts are vacant on retirement, resignation and completion of terms of tenure, Using technology
through hybrid hearing, regular colloquiums for capacity building of members, provisions ofinfrastructure, etc., Prioritize cases viz. appeals of Senior Citizens, scrutinize and identify cases
covered by decisions of High Courts, Supreme Court, for posting and out of turn hearing,
Disposal of cases using Schemes such as Vivad Se Vishwas and Below tax effect appeals,
Setting up of Single Bench for expeditious adjudication of cases, Holding Circuit Benches in
different States to address the issue of regional disparity, Appeals arising out of same impugned
orders or involving the same issues are identified and listed for final disposal at one stroke,
Members are sent to other benches on regular basis wherever there is vacancy to dispose cases
pending there, Mandatory e-filling of application in most of the Tribunals and Appellate
Tribunals, Hybrid hearing system adopted by most of the Tribunals, and Regular training of
Presiding Officers, Members and other officers dealing the matters in respective Tribunals.
*****Annexure
Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1007 for answer on 05.12.2025
regarding “Disposal and Pendency of Cases in Tribunals” .
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Sl. No. Name of Tribunal
Disposal Pending Disposal Pending Disposal Pending Disposal Pending Disposal Pending Disposal Pending
National Company Law Tribunal
9678 20654 8619 21312 8988 21424 9818 19793 14150 14961 4723 14680
(NCLT)
1
National Company Law Appellate
1036 372 1013 696 2279 144 2385 180 2487 894 2243 410
Tribunal (NCLAT)
2 National Green Tribunal 2610 2656 2600 2390 3497 2001 2882 2818 3294 4219 3149 5301
3 Debts Recovery Tribunal 11840 151943 19435 181498 42185 205558 52541 218060 45378 233901 33161 245048
Debts Recovery Appellate
4 714 1515 661 1705 1538 2460 1661 3684 1204 5193 372 6534
Tribunal
5 Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal 24256 79754 40473 54315 39096 38311 33008 34429 38370 43672 47652 42502
Customs, Excise and Service Tax
6 9407 74594 12530 72585 6424 78510 14403 80646 23821 71845 13046 71454
Appellate Tribunal
Appellate Tribunal under the
Smugglers and Foreign
7 26 5094 2 6581 763 7583 1102 9509 1447 11920 2364 12498
Exchange Manipulators
(Forfeiture of Property)
8 Central Administrative Tribunal 12616 62283 17395 74567 19487 80545 31672 74615 35460 72153 26991 69102
9 Railway Claims Tribunal 3299 26185 5812 25192 6369 22555 13554 19218 10879 13943 6352 10570
10 Securities Appellate Tribunal 395 741 742 822 1011 878 1118 750 374 1085 316 1308
National Consumer Disputes
11 2216 908 1444 1003 1926 1492 3414 1953 2278 2081 939 1969
Redressal Commission
12 Appellate Tribunal for Electricity 217 1726 256 1956 411 2122 282 2552 468 2631 402 2644
13 Armed Forces Tribunal 2460 4645 6140 3974 6175 4678 9653 5541 7706 6058 3389 6904
14 Central Govt. Industrial Tribunal 2540 28173 2280 29136 2186 32110 3438 34644 4407 36498 8648 10644
Telecom Disputes Settlement and
15 334 3901 463 4867 1132 4932 707 5193 714 5510 604 5979
Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
State Administrative Tribunal
Kerala Administrative Tribunal 3091 922 3167 1365 2442 1761 2602 1555 2098 1322 2531 10797
16 Karnataka State Administrative
11788 27 10881 69 9873 86 12798 282 9883 1565 1513 5450
Tribunal
Maharashtra Administrative
1381 7051 1618 8559 2953 9412 2863 10702 3455 11752 2768 12693
Tribunal