SUPREME COURT CALLS DELAY IN DECREE ENFORCEMENT A “TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE”
Introduction: Supreme Court Highlights Crisis in Execution of Decrees In a significant observation highlighting one of the most persistent issues in India’s justice delivery system, the Supreme Court of India has expressed deep concern over the massive pendency of execution petitions across the country. The apex court lamented that over 8.82 lakh execution petitions remain pending in district courts nationwide — a figure that renders judicial decrees “meaningless” and amounts to a “travesty of justice.” An execution petition is a plea filed by a decree-holder seeking enforcement of a judgment — such as recovery of money, transfer of property, or ensuring compliance with a court order. Despite judgments being delivered, the prolonged enforcement process often denies effective relief to the litigant. Background: Pendency and Supreme Court Monitoring The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal made these remarks while monitoring compliance with its March 6, 2025 dire...