More than three lakh trial cases are currently pending in Delhi’s district courts. The prosecutors in Rohini alone are handling caseloads running into thousands per person. The data was shared with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Monday, as he chaired a review meeting on the functioning of the city’s Directorate of Prosecution. According to figures presented at the meeting, 3,02,477 trial cases were pending in Delhi’s district courts as of September 30, 2026. Of these, 2,54,597 cases were pending in Magistrate Courts and 47,880 in Sessions Courts.
The meeting, attended by the Principal Secretary (Law), Principal Secretary (Home), Special Commissioner of Police (Welfare and Legal), Director of Prosecution and other senior officials, examined the scale of case pendency and the resources available to handle it. Officials informed the LG that 155 Public Prosecutors and Additional Public Prosecutors posted in Sessions Courts across Delhi handle an average of 309 pending cases each, a number that rises to 627 cases per prosecutor in Rohini. In Magistrate Courts, the burden was found to be even steeper, with 126 Additional Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors handling an average of 2,021 pending cases each, climbing to 3,065 cases per prosecutor in Rohini.
The meeting also found significant staff shortages contributing to the backlog. Of 507 sanctioned posts of Public Prosecutor, Additional Public Prosecutor and Assistant Public Prosecutor, 216 remain vacant. Among supporting staff, 42 of 71 sanctioned posts are vacant as well.
To address the vacancies, the UPSC has advertised 140 posts of Assistant Public Prosecutor, while the Directorate has separately advertised 50 such posts on a contract basis. Another 32 posts of Additional Public Prosecutor are to be filled through deputation. Recruitment rules are also under submission for 40 new posts of Deputy Director and Assistant Director created under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Officials additionally flagged shortages of courtrooms, prosecutors’ chambers and record rooms as ongoing constraints.
Expressing concern over low conviction rates and the slow pace of case disposal, Sandhu directed immediate measures to address the pendency. He said the BNSS, 2023, provides for strengthening prosecution through adequate personnel, specific investigation timelines and greater use of technology, and directed officials to upgrade the Directorate’s structure and processes accordingly.
Sandhu asked that trial in absentia be implemented in eligible cases and that electronic records, digital case tracking and video-conferencing be promoted to speed up proceedings. He also directed that compliance with BNSS trial timelines be ensured, delays monitored, avoidable adjournments minimised, and witnesses produced on time.
On accountability, the LG asked that acquittals be analysed to identify prosecutorial lapses and that corrective action be taken where necessary. Officials informed him that a standing committee already examines acquittal orders in criminal cases to assess investigative and prosecutorial errors, having reviewed 64,210 cases across 34 meetings since August 2014.
Sandhu also asked for stronger scrutiny of charge-sheets and evidence in coordination with Investigating Officers; closer coordination among prosecutors, Delhi Police, and forensic laboratories; and training for prosecutors on new criminal laws, electronic evidence, and forensic investigation. He directed that cases involving women and children be prioritised, with effective communication maintained with victims. On the delays in filling Directorate positions and the shortage of courtroom space, Sandhu said he would personally take up the matter with the UPSC and the Public Works Department to seek expedited resolution.