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The final word: Succinct to expansive, SC verdicts in 2025 spanned varying lengths

In 2025, the Supreme Court saw over 1,400 judgments, highlighting a striking contrast in judgment lengths, with lengthy rulings often from smaller benches.

Published on: Jan 2, 2026, 04:20:03 IST
By Utkarsh Anand, New Delhi
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In 2025, the Supreme Court crossed a numerical milestone as over 1,400 judgments were delivered in a single year. Yet amid this volume, another, less discussed trend has quietly taken shape — the extraordinary and widening variation in the length of its judgments.

PREMIUMThe Supreme Court of India. (Representational/Amal KS/HT Photo)
The Supreme Court of India. (Representational/Amal KS/HT Photo)

At one end sits Justice JB Pardiwala’s April judgment in the Tamil Nadu Governor case, a sprawling 415-page ruling that laid down strict timelines for governors and the president to act on state legislation and introduced the

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utkarsh Anand

Utkarsh Anand is the National Legal Editor at Hindustan Times, where he leads the newspaper's coverage of the Supreme Court, constitutional law, the judiciary and the Union law ministry. He joined Hindustan Times in 2020 after stints at Press Trust of India (PTI), The Indian Express and CNN-News18, and has over two decades of experience reporting on law, governance and public policy. His work has focussed on some of India's most consequential constitutional and legal developments, including the Supreme Court's judgments on Article 370, marriage equality, decriminalisation of homosexuality, the Babri Masjid dispute, electoral reforms and judicial appointments. He specialises in making complex legal proceedings and judgments accessible to readers while examining their wider social and political impact. Beyond daily reportage, Utkarsh has led investigative projects and enterprise reporting that have shaped public debate and prompted institutional responses. His work has received several journalism awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award. As National Legal Editor, he has also played a key role in expanding Hindustan Times' legal journalism footprint, mentoring reporters and strengthening coverage across platforms. A Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme Fellow, Utkarsh regularly writes analyses on the judiciary and constitutional issues, and his reporting is widely followed by lawyers, judges, policymakers, academics and readers seeking clarity on India's evolving legal landscape.

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