India Justice Report 2025
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Governance
Source: IT
Context: The India Justice Report 2025 revealed that no State/UT has met its own reserved quotas for women in the police force.
About India Justice Report 2025:
Aspect | Details
What it is? | A national ranking assessing capacity of States/UTs to deliver justice across four pillars.
Released by | Tata Trusts in collaboration with partners like CHRI, DAKSH, Vidhi Centre, TISS-Prayas etc.
Aim | To promote data-driven reforms by evaluating states on justice delivery using official government data.
Criteria | Ranks states on Police, Judiciary, Prisons, Legal Aid, and Human Rights Commissions, based on 5 filters: Human Resources, Budgets, Infrastructure, Workload, Diversity.
Positives Highlighted in IJR 2025:
• Southern states dominate: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu secured the top 5 ranks among large states.
E.g. Karnataka ranked 1st overall (score: 6.78/10).
• Increased gender representation: Female share in judiciary and police steadily rising across most states.
E.g. Bihar has the highest share of women in police among all states.
• Improved case clearance: High Courts maintained >100% disposal rate; subordinate courts also improved.
E.g. Over 86% of prisons now have video-conferencing facilities for trials.
• Tech adoption in judiciary: Digital filing, e-Sewa Kendras, and legal aid tracking via NALSA’s online system have improved access.
E.g. More live-streaming and expansion of NJDG platform.
• Prison Management Excellence: Tamil Nadu retained top position in prison management with 100% budget utilisation and optimal staff-inmate ratio.
Negatives / Gaps Identified:
• Women Quota Unmet: No State/UT fulfilled reserved quotas for women in police; <1,000 senior women officers exist.
E.g. Despite mandates, not even progressive states met gender quotas in senior policing.
• Infrastructure Gaps in Police: 17% of police stations have no CCTV; 30% lack women help desks.
E.g. SC-mandated CCTVs under Paramvir Singh guidelines not fully implemented.
• Low Legal Aid Spending: National average is just ₹6 per capita annually – least among all justice pillars.
E.g. Legal aid budgets declined in 19 states.
• Severe Judicial Backlog: 5 crore+ cases pending across court levels; 71% of cases in Bihar pending over 3 years.
E.g. HC vacancies >30% in some states like Gujarat.
• Prison Overcrowding & Undertrial Crisis: 76% of prisoners are undertrials, up from 66% in the last decade.
E.g. 176 prisons operate at over 200% capacity.
Suggested Reforms:
• Gender-Inclusive Recruitment: Enforce women reservation in senior police/judicial roles with transparent audits.
E.g. Mandatory mid-level lateral entry for women officers.
• Upgrade Police Infrastructure: Universal CCTV coverage, digitised FIR systems, and women help desks at every station.
• Judicial Staffing and AIJS: Standardised recruitment calendar and All India Judicial Service for lower courts.
E.g. Fast-track special courts to reduce pendency.
• Revamp Legal Aid Delivery: Strengthen community-based legal aid, taluka clinics, and PLV network.
E.g. Revise per capita budget and involve civil society.
• Prison Decongestion: Strengthen parole, open prisons, and ensure medical staffing in line with inmate population.
E.g. Implement Model Prison & Correctional Services Act 2023 with urgency.
• Performance-linked Justice Budgets: Reward states showing year-on-year improvement with increased funding.
E.g. Tie grants to vacancy reduction, training coverage, and tech use.
Conclusion:
The India Justice Report 2025 reflects India’s aspirations and challenges in making justice accessible, efficient, and inclusive. Despite digital tools and reforms, core capacity deficits remain unaddressed. A holistic, sustained, and accountable approach is essential to transform justice delivery across India.
• Who are entitled to receive free legal aid? Assess the role of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in rendering free legal aid in India (UPSC-2023)