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Southern states have outperformed the rest of India in justice delivery, according to the India Justice Report 2025, released on Tuesday.

 

The report, now in its fourth edition, ranks states based on their performance in four key areas — policing, prisons, judiciary, and legal aid.

 

Karnataka topped the list among 18 large and mid-sized states. At the bottom was West Bengal, which dropped from the second-last position in the previous edition. Other top performers were Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, completing a clean sweep by southern states.

 

Karnataka scored 6.78 out of 10, while West Bengal managed 3.63. Telangana saw a major jump, climbing from 11th to 3rd place since the last report in 2022.

Among the smaller states, Sikkim came out on top, while Goa was the weakest performer.

 

The report, launched under the aegis of Tata Trusts in 2019, offers a data-based insight into the justice system. It tracks improvements and gaps in policing, prison management, judicial performance, and access to legal aid.

 

Bihar showed the biggest improvement in the police pillar. However, it also had the worst police-to-population ratio, with just 81 officers per 100,000 people. The national average remains low at 155, well below the sanctioned strength of 197.5.

 

On judicial performance, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh saw the most progress. For prison reforms, Odisha and Jharkhand led the way. In the area of legal aid, Haryana made the largest leap forward.

 

The report notes a 50 per cent surge in India’s prison population over the past decade. The share of undertrials — those awaiting investigation or trial — has grown from 66 per cent to 76 per cent.

 

One major concern raised is the budget allocation in the justice system. A large portion is spent on salaries, leaving little for infrastructure or training, which impacts the quality of justice services.

 

In his foreword, former Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul stressed the need for systemic reform. He urged leadership within the judiciary and government to take bold steps. He also called for greater public pressure, saying justice reform must become a societal demand.

 

The report serves as both a performance check and a call to action for improving justice delivery across India.