The pendency of cases at the Supreme Court of India is within a whisker of 60,000 – a new record - after rising by more than 700 cases in March 2012.

The increase of around 10 per cent matches the rise in pending cases at the apex court every year, except between 1 May 2010 to 1 May 2011 when the figure fell slightly by around 500.

The number of arrears cases older than one year increased from 38,084 at the end of January 2012 to 38,588 in February and a whopping 39,356 by 31 March 2012. At the end of May 2011, the number of arrears cases was only 35,909.

In April 2012, a five-judge bench including Chief Justice SH Kapadia have so far sat for four days and counting to decide whether to regulate media reporting of cases.

Click here to read more about The Pendency Project data analysis by Legally India.