Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Harish Salve Calls for Judicial Reset Over Delays and Accountability
Harish Salve said India’s justice system needs a fresh start.
He believes courts must be independent, but independence also depends on judges’ honesty and courage.
He warned that cases taking many years can make people lose faith in courts.
He said India has about 60 million pending cases and too few judges.
Salve questioned a system in which judges mainly choose other judges.
He called for appointments to be open and transparent.
He also said courts should not routinely take over the work of government agencies or lower courts.
He warned that social media can replace careful discussion with misleading short messages.
Finally, he said faster commercial justice could help attract investment and support economic growth.
Harish Salve urged a reset of India’s judiciary, emphasizing character, integrity, transparency and accountability.
He warned that prolonged cases can erode public confidence, citing approximately 60 million pending cases nationwide.
Salve criticized judicial appointments dominated by judges and called for transparent selection and stronger accountability mechanisms.
He urged restraint in court-monitored investigations and judicial intervention in executive and lower-court responsibilities.
Salve linked efficient commercial dispute resolution to investment, economic growth and India’s broader development ambitions.
- Who
- Senior Supreme Court advocate and former Solicitor General of India Harish Salve delivered the address, honoring Ram Jethmalani.
- What
- Salve called for a reset of India’s judicial system and discussed delays, judge shortages, appointments, accountability, social media and commercial justice.
- When
- At the Ram Jethmalani Memorial Lecture; the articles do not specify a date.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Salve said institutional renewal is needed to restore public confidence, improve judicial functioning and support investment and economic growth.
- Pending cases
- Salve cited approximately 60 million pending cases across India’s judicial system.
- Trial-court burden
- He said more than 80% of pending trial-court cases are criminal matters.
- Judge strength
- He said sanctioned judicial strength is close to 22%, while actual strength is about 15%.
- Judges per population
- He recalled that the Supreme Court had advocated 50 judges per million people.
- Appointments
- Salve called for transparent, open judicial appointments and an institution capable of enforcing accountability.
- Commercial justice
- He said concerns about commercial dispute resolution hinder foreign investment in India.
- Institutional reset
- Salve argued that institutions periodically need to refresh themselves, citing changes after the Emergency and reforms abroad.