5 Crore Cases Pending: CJI Surya Kant Pushes ADR To Transform India’s Justice System

Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, urged India to strengthen its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework while inaugurating the IIAM ADR Summit 2026 in New Delhi. He said the country’s ADR ecosystem must become more reliable, effective and accessible to reduce the burden on courts and deliver timely justice.

CJI Surya Kant said mediation, arbitration and digital dispute resolution are no longer merely alternatives to litigation but have evolved into essential pillars of the justice delivery system. He noted that these mechanisms offer quicker, fairer and more efficient solutions for resolving disputes.

Highlighting the growing backlog, the CJI said more than five crore cases are pending before courts across the country, with a substantial number involving land disputes and government litigation. He observed that resolving every dispute through conventional court proceedings alone is neither practical nor sustainable, making ADR increasingly important.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Eros Hotel in New Delhi, CJI Surya Kant said arbitration, mediation and digital dispute resolution may appear to be distinct disciplines, but they all share a common objective of building public trust. He stressed that disputing parties must have confidence that they can obtain fair, timely and legally enforceable outcomes outside traditional courtrooms.

The CJI said trust in ADR cannot be built by legislation alone. He called on law schools to give negotiation and mediation the same importance as litigation. He also urged businesses, government departments and public institutions to adopt dispute prevention as an essential element of good governance.

Concluding his address, CJI Surya Kant said judges, arbitrators and mediators must earn public confidence through competence, integrity and professionalism.

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