Karnataka’s district courts strained by 27.5% judicial staff shortage

Karnataka's district judiciary is under pressure due to a significant shortfall in judicial officers, with around 27.5% of sanctioned positions currently vacant. Data reported on Tuesday highlights that of the 21,541 approved posts across the state’s district courts, 5,926 remain unfilled, raising serious concerns about the delivery and efficiency of justice.

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Bengaluru city is among the worst affected, reporting 835 vacancies out of 2,510 sanctioned posts. Bengaluru Rural follows with 532 vacancies from 1,003 posts. Mandya also shows a high vacancy rate, with 376 positions unoccupied out of 844. Other districts facing critical staff shortages include Belagavi (345), Mysuru (299), Tumakuru (279), Dakshina Kannada (312), and Hassan (207).

The shortage extends beyond lower staff to judicial officers, with 243 of the 1,395 sanctioned roles — including district judges, ad-hoc judges, senior civil judges, and civil judges — currently unfilled.

These widespread staffing deficits are expected to contribute to rising case backlogs and may erode public trust in the justice system. Legal observers have expressed concern over the state's ability to maintain timely and effective judicial processes under such constraints.

In response, the state government has initiated steps to address the shortfall. According to a recent announcement in the legislative assembly, 158 civil judge positions will be filled soon, following a recruitment notification issued in February 2025.