– Mohd. Naushad Khan
The 4th edition of the India Justice Report (IJR) 2025 was released by Justice Madan Lokur, Chair of the UN Internal Justice Council, at India International Centre on Tuesday. It is the country’s only ranking of states on justice delivery.
The report highlights that India’s police force of 20.3 lakh has less than 1,000 women officers in senior ranks like SPs and DGs. Including non-IPS, the number crosses 25,000. Women officers form only 8% of the 3.1 lakh total officers, with 90% working in constabulary roles.
Karnataka retained the top spot among 18 Large and Mid-sized states (population over one crore). Andhra Pradesh moved from 5th in 2022 to 2nd. Telangana stood 3rd and Kerala 4th (2022: 6th).
Southern states dominated, with better performance across all four pillars. Karnataka is the only state meeting caste quotas (SC/ST/OBC) in police and district judiciary. Kerala has the lowest High Court judge vacancy.
Tamil Nadu leads in prison reforms, with 77% occupancy against the national average of over 131%. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh rank 1st and 2nd in the Police pillar.
Among Small States (population below one crore), Sikkim (2022: 1st) retained the top position. Himachal Pradesh jumped to 2nd (2022: 6th), followed by Arunachal Pradesh (2022: 2nd).
Bihar showed the most improvement since IJR 2022, followed by Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand improved more than seven states, including Gujarat, Haryana, and Telangana.
IJR was initiated by Tata Trusts, with the first report in 2019. The 2025 report is in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, CHRI, DAKSH, TISS–Prayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, and How India Lives.
Justice Madan Lokur said accessing justice is punishing from the start. Weak frontline institutions like police stations and legal aid actors harm public trust. First points of contact must be strong.
He noted improvements are rare due to poor attention to resources. The burden still lies on individuals, not the state.
Ms. Maja Daruwala, Chief Editor, said reforms are urgent, not optional. A strong justice system is a constitutional must and should be a daily reality for all citizens.
IJR 2025 used 24-month research, tracking justice delivery across Police, Judiciary, Prisons, and Legal Aid. It used official statistics and benchmarked performance against state-set standards.
The report also assessed 25 State Human Rights Commissions and includes essays on mediation and access for persons with disabilities.
