Priority is being given to long-standing disputes, particularly those involving senior citizens, corruption, and crimes against women.

Justice on Fast Track: How Punjab & Haryana HC Plans to Slash Backlog in 2026

The Punjab and Haryana High Court is eyeing a significant milestone to bring its total pending cases below the 4-lakh mark during 2026 in a push to speed up the delivery of justice.

According to official data, there is a steady decline in the backlog, with pendency dropping to 4,20,466 cases as of January 2026, down from 4,32,227 recorded at the beginning of 2025.

Under the leadership of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, the High Court has mandated that no petition be placed before a Bench unless an advance copy is served on the opposite party. This move aims to eliminate the practice of seeking adjournments to file replies. 

The court is encouraging hybrid hearings to ensure cases proceed even if counsel are not physically present. 

Additionally, the court has optimised its structure by reducing the number of Division Benches from 13 to 8, thereby freeing up five judges to handle more cases individually.

Priority is being given to long-standing disputes, particularly those involving senior citizens, corruption, and crimes against women. 

The results are already visible, with the case-clearance rate rising from 107.62 in July 2025 to 116.39 by September end.

Source: The Tribune