Supreme Court Seeks Data on Commercial Courts Infrastructure in India

• The Supreme Court has sought data on pending commercial cases and infrastructure provided to these courts.
• The Court emphasized the importance of speedy resolution of commercial disputes for ease of doing business in India.
• A phased, state-wise assessment is needed to determine immediate requirements and avoid long delays.

The whole idea of commercial courts is to expedite the hearing... A part of ease of doing business is how fast a commercial dispute is decided by the courts

The Supreme Court has flagged the need for a thorough assessment of commercial court infrastructure across India. On Monday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana sought data on pending commercial cases and corresponding infrastructure provided to these courts.

The Court emphasized that speedy resolution of commercial disputes is crucial for the ease of doing business in the country. In its explanation, the Court highlighted the purpose behind setting up commercial courts, which is to expedite hearing and decision-making processes.

The Supreme Court's move comes against the backdrop of the Commercial Courts Act, which aims to streamline commercial dispute resolution. However, despite the Court's April 2025 order directing High Courts to indicate time taken in such matters, relevant information has not been placed on record.

The Chief Justice noted that establishing additional courts may not always be feasible due to infrastructure and officer availability constraints. He suggested a phased, state-wise assessment to determine immediate requirements and avoid long delays.

Lawyers and compliance officers should pay close attention to potential changes in commercial court infrastructure, which could impact the speed and cost of resolving commercial disputes. The Supreme Court's initiative may lead to a more efficient dispute resolution system, ultimately contributing to the ease of doing business in India.

As the country continues to navigate complex commercial litigation trends, understanding the implications of this development is crucial for businesses and legal professionals alike.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for potential changes to commercial court infrastructure in their respective states, which could impact the speed and cost of resolving commercial disputes.

Source: Original reporting via Supreme Court flags need for more commercial courts, seeks State-wise data on litigation trends