The case clearance rate at across the state dropped to 36.58% in 2020 from 67.73% in 2019 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
As per data available on the Patna High Court website, there was a little change in the number of cases which were instituted in subordinate courts in 2020 from 2019, but the count of the cases disposed came down drastically as either courts were shut or had to work virtually.
Altogether 4.76 lakh cases were instituted in 2020 and just 1.74 lakh could be disposed of. In 2019, 5.98 lakh cases were instituted and 4.05 lakh disposed of. In 2018, 4.93 lakh cases were instituted and 3.61 lakh disposed of, taking the case clearance rate to 73.09%.
The poor case clearance rate increased the pressure on the subordinate courts which forms the backbone of the judicial system.