JUSTICE: STARTS AT ₹50,000
20 YEARS WAIT FOR POOR. SAME-DAY BAIL FOR RICH.
"Satyamev Jayate" (Truth Prevails) is written on the Supreme Court. Truth does prevail - just a 324-year wait at current backlog rate.
"50 million cases pending. 324 years to clear the backlog. By the time your grandchildren get justice, the criminals would have died of old age, peacefully, in their beds. I could conquer half of India faster than your courts can deliver one verdict."
The Last Hope - Already Dead
Politicians are corrupt - go to court. Bureaucrats want bribes - go to court. Police does nothing - go to court.
This "go to court" option is finished now.
5 crore cases are pending. Five crore. At current speed, will take 324 years to clear. Meaning if your case is in court, your great-great-grandchildren might see the result.
Judiciary was the last resort. That failed too. Where will you go now?
Numbers That Should Scare You
Pending Cases
Time to Clear Backlog
Judge Vacancies
Conviction Rate
5 crore pending cases means what?
- 5 crore families living in uncertain futures
- 5 crore disputes where justice is on hold
- Rape cases "disposed" in 5-7 years (if lucky)
- Murder cases taking 10-15 years is common
- Property disputes? Transfer from generation to generation
"Justice delayed is justice denied" - this should be India's official motto.
Two Indias: One For Rich, One For Rest
Rich Person's Case
- Bail: Same day or next day. Weekend? Judge gives hearing at home. "Humanitarian grounds."
- Lawyer: Top advocates - ₹10-50 lakh per hearing. Every loophole exploited.
- Trial: Unlimited adjournments. Stretch case 10 years, witnesses die or change statements.
- Even if convicted: Appeal, stay, more appeals. Salman Khan still free 20 years after hit and run.
- Result: Justice doesn't come, but system tires out.
Poor Person's Case
- Bail: Months or years. "Flight risk," "might tamper evidence." Same charges - rich gets bail, poor gets jail.
- Lawyer: Free legal aid (if lucky). Overworked, underpaid, underperforming.
- Trial: Rarely happens. No judge available, no dates.
- Undertrial: 70% of Indian prisoners are undertrials. More time in jail without conviction than actual sentence.
- Result: Even if innocent, 5-10 years in jail. If guilty, life is over anyway.
Real Example: Remember that Mumbai SUV hit and run case? Rich teenager killed 2 people. For bail, just had to write a 300-word essay about traffic rules. 300 WORDS. For murder. That's your justice.
Meanwhile, if a poor auto driver does the same accident - 5 years of judicial custody before trial even starts.
Real Cases: When Justice Failed
Nirbhaya Case - 7 Years For 'Fast Track'
2012 - rape and murder happened. 2020 - execution. 7 YEARS. This was called 'fast track.' Regular cases? 10-15 years is common.
Jessica Lal Case - Rich Kid Gets Away
Manu Sharma shot Jessica in 1999. There were witnesses. There was evidence. Acquitted in 2006 - witnesses 'turned hostile' (scared or bought). After media pressure, finally convicted in 2010. Took 11 years for a clear-cut murder case.
Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Justice? What Justice?
1984. 15,000+ people died. Lakhs permanently affected. Warren Anderson (Union Carbide CEO) - got bail and left, never came back to India. Verdict came in 2010 - 7 Indians got 2 years sentence (already served through bail time). Is this justice?
Any Land Dispute - Intergenerational Curse
Average property dispute: 20+ years. Father files, son follows up, grandson maybe sees result. By then property value has increased, lawyers have become rich.
See the pattern: Even high-profile cases take 5-10 years. Media pressure makes something happen. Normal case? Forget it.
Your property dispute will run 20 years. A fake case against you will keep you stuck for 10 years. The system is designed for delay - because delay means lawyers make money, pressure on judges reduces.
Judges: Have 25,000, Need 70,000
India has 21 judges per 10 lakh people. USA has 150 judges per 10 lakh. UK has 100+.
Meaning one Indian judge has to handle 7 times more cases than a US judge. How do you expect quality judgments?
Current Situation
- Supreme Court: 3-4 vacancies always
- High Courts: 400+ vacancies
- Lower Courts: 5,000+ vacancies
- Each judge: handles 2,000-3,000 cases
- Humanly impossible to give proper attention
Why Vacancies Not Filled?
- Collegium system - judges appoint judges
- Political interference - "appoint our person"
- Slow process - 2-3 years for one appointment
- Low pay (compared to private practice) for lower judiciary
- No accountability for not filling vacancies
Irony: Judges themselves keep saying "we need more judges" in speeches. They have the power to fast-track appointments. They don't. Why? Because the system is in their control. No urgency to change.
Police: Friends of Criminals, Enemies of Public
Court gave verdict - who enforces it? Police. What's police like? Let's see:
- Won't write FIR: Go to station, complain, they'll send you back. "Civil matter." "No evidence." "Settle amongst yourselves."
- Will do anything for money: Traffic police openly takes bribes. Nothing happens at station without money.
- Political pressure: Ruling party's supporter? Case won't proceed. Opposition? File fake cases.
- Custodial violence: "Encounter" culture. Innocent people die in "encounters" too.
- Understaffed: Per capita police also less than developed countries. Overworked, underpaid, undertrained.
Court Gave Judgment
- Enforcement is police's responsibility
- Police busy in "more important" cases
- Or politician stopped it
- Or accused paid money
- Order remains on paper
Real Result
- Court order exists, execution doesn't
- Criminal free, victim waiting
- System technically worked, practically failed
- File contempt of court - more years of waiting
- Cycle continues
Judges Are Corrupt Too - No One Says This
This is an uncomfortable topic. Criticizing judiciary can itself be contempt of court. But reality is:
- Lower court judges - corruption is documented. Cases get "managed."
- Money goes to judges through lawyers.
- Certain benches are "friendly" to certain lawyers.
- After retirement, judges get government positions - is this not corruption?
- Collegium system - judges appoint judges. Zero transparency.
"Judges are incorruptible" - this is a myth. They're humans with same incentives as others.
Famous quote (allegedly by a former CJI):"50% of the High Court judges are corrupt." This was said publicly. Then nothing happened. Because judges' accountability is in judges' hands.
Impeachment in India's history? ZERO judges successfully impeached. The process is so complicated it's basically impossible.
So What Can You Do? (Honest Answer)
Honestly? Fixing the court system is not in your hands. This is a systemic problem that will take decades to fix (if ever).
But some things you can do:
- Avoid disputes: Keep written agreements. Clear documentation. Prevention better than cure - especially when cure takes 20 years.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Arbitration, mediation - settle outside court. Faster, cheaper. Many disputes are eligible.
- Legal insurance: Some companies offer. Case happens, you get cover.
- Lok Adalat: Free, fast settlement for certain cases. Use it.
- Demand reform: When voting, look at judicial reform policy. (Though no party seriously cares about this.)
Reality: The system is not in your favor. Plan accordingly. Don't expect justice - work around the system where possible.
"In India, the criminal walks free while the case is pending. The innocent rots in jail while waiting for trial. And the lawyers get rich while everyone waits. This is not a justice system. This is a waiting system."