There are 17,54,675 pending cases in fast-track courts; low conviction rates

What happened: Rajya Sabha reply on fast-track courts’ pendency and conviction rates

A government reply tabled in the Rajya Sabha reported the operational status of fast-track courts and their caseload. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that 884 fast-track courts are functional across 21 states and Union territories, with combined 17,54,675 pending cases.

The government reply also stated that fast-track special courts recorded low conviction rates and provided state-wise conviction-rate figures for three consecutive years: 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Reported conviction-rate figures for fast-track special courts for 2023–2025 include:

Andhra Pradesh: 3.97% (2023), 5.19% (2024), 5.55% (2025)Jammu and Kashmir: 6% (2023), 4.5% (2024), 4.44% (2025)West Bengal: 1% (2023), 2% (2024), rising to 11% (2025)Tamil Nadu: conviction rate stayed above 25% each year (year-wise percentages were not provided in the reply)

The government reply also stated that Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram recorded the strongest conviction rates during the 2023–2025 period, without giving year-wise percentages for these states.