Justice After 30 Years: What Pension Case Reveals About Litigation Fatigue in India

In December 2025, the Rajasthan High Court granted relief to Shakuntala Patni, an 80 year old lecturer who lost her job in 1995.

- TDG NETWORK

After a 30 year legal battle, the court ordered her employer to pay Rs 15.57 lakh within one month and to release all retirement benefits by June 30. The judge lamented that delays in implementing earlier orders had deprived Patni of the fruits of a favourable judgment since 2000, calling the delay “a chronic administrative failure.” Her story captures the emotional and economic toll of protracted litigation.THE COST OF DELAY: A PERSONAL ACCOUNTING

Over three decades, Patni spent her savings on lawyers, travel and medical bills. With no pension income, she relied on children and relatives. When she finally wins, the lump sum cannot fully compensate for lost interest and inflation. Many litigants face similar fates. A 2025 report estimated 51.9 million land and property related cases pending across Indian courts, with 6.23 million in High Courts and 45.6 million in lower courts. The NITI Aayog warned that at current disposal rates it would take 324 years to clear the backlog.