Home Ministry 'Actively Engaged' with Supreme Court to Cut Case Pendency: Amit Shah.

Union Home Minister says new system being developed with SC to tackle volume-based delays; pushes AI, forensic reforms, special courts for cases pending 5+ years.

New Delhi, June 20, 2026:Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Ministry of Home Affairs is actively working with the Supreme Court of India* to develop a new system aimed at reducing pendency of cases in the Supreme Court and High Courts, and ensuring timely justice for citize

What Amit Shah Announced.

Speaking at the All India Fingerprint Conference-2026 organized by the National Crime Records Bureau, Shah stated:

"The Union Home Ministry is actively engaged with the Supreme Court to create a new system that can effectively deal with volume-based delays in the High Courts and the Supreme Court.”

The government is “determined to eliminate unnecessary delays in the delivery of justice.”.

Link to New Criminal Laws & Technology Push.

Shah tied the pendency initiative to the three new criminal laws Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam saying nearly 90% of legal loopholes in the old laws have been addressed.

Key reforms highlighted:

Time-bound justice: Shah reiterated that the new laws will “ensure time-bound justice from Sessions Court to Supreme Court by 2029” with “justice delivered by the Supreme Court within three years of an FIR being registered.”

Tech & Forensics: Called for using AI and Machine Learning to analyze crime data, predict patterns, and expedite investigations. Noted mobile forensic labs have grown from 0 in 2021 to 1,000 today.

Evidence Quality: Urged police to ensure “proper collection and preservation of evidence”_ as contaminated evidence “weakens prosecution and delays convictions.”

Special Courts for Old Cases.

At the 26th Central Zonal Council meeting in Jagdalpur on May 20, 2026, Shah stressed the need for special courts to dispose of cases pending for over 5 years.

“The government's objective should be to ensure the disposal of every criminal case before 2029, including those that reach the Supreme Court, and this process should be completed within three years,”he said. 

He also pushed for timely DNA testing in POCSO and rape cases to improve conviction rates. 4267

Supreme Court Judge Strength Increase.

Separately, the Union Cabinet has cleared a bill to increase Supreme Court strength from 34 to 38 judges, including the CJI, to “boost speedy justice, provide relief to poor and remote petitioners, and expedite the resolution of constitutional matters.”.

 Context: Why Pendency Matters.

HC Backlog: Allahabad HC recently noted that “main reason for pendency… is not the capability of judicial officers but shortage of staff, non-execution of court’s process by police and delay as well as incomplete FSL reports.”.

National Push: Shah said no law in independent India had been _“discussed at such length” as the new criminal codes, which replace British-era provisions. 

The Home Ministry has held 12 meetings of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee since 2019 on implementation.