Overview of the Indian Justice Report
The latest Indian Justice Report, published by Tata Trusts along with civil society organizations, highlights the inefficiencies of the justice-delivery ecosystem in India. It ranks states based on 24 parameters across four pillars: police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid.
State Rankings and Performance
- The southern states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu rank highest among large and mid-sized states.
- West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan rank lowest.
- Karnataka, with the highest score, achieved only 6.78/10, indicating a modestly average performance.
Challenges in the Justice System
- Shortages:
- 23% vacancy in the police force.
- Over 50% vacancy among forensic staff, despite an increase in labs from 94 to 110 between 2020 and 2024.
- 30% staff vacancy in prisons, which suffer from 131% occupancy, with 76% comprising undertrials.
- Only 15 judges per 1 million people against the Law Commission's recommendation of 500.
- Legal Aid: Reduced number of para-legal volunteers, affecting support for the poorest and vulnerable.
Social and Gender Equity
- Only 8% women officers in senior judicial positions against a 33% government recommendation.
- Women represent 38% at lower judiciary levels and 14% in higher courts.
- Only Karnataka meets its caste quotas in the judiciary.
Training and Systemic Challenges
- Poor quality of training, especially at lower levels, lacking basic legal and constitutional knowledge.
- The system retains colonial legacies of repression without transitioning to a service-oriented justice system.
Addressing these systemic failures requires both resource allocation and a shift towards upholding constitutional liberties.
