One of the major flaws of India is the delay in its Legal System. Over two million cases are pending in 18 High Courts alone and more than 200,000 cases are pending in the Supreme Court for admission, interim reliefs or final hearing. If you will look into The Guinness Book of Records you will perhaps find an entry, which says that the most protracted law suit ever, recorded was in India. A "Mahant", who is a keeper of a temple, filed a suit in Pune in 1205 AD and the case was decided in 1966 -761 years later! However, this is not the average time taken by the Indian Courts for deciding cases. Normally it takes between 5 to 15 years for a case to be decided in an Indian Court.
The Indian Legal Hierarchy is somewhat of the following nature:
In the Metropolitan Cities on Civil Side there are Courts of Small Causes Courts and above them the City Civil Courts. On the Criminal Side there are Metropolitan Magistrates' Courts and above them the Sessions Courts.
In the Moffusil on the Civil Side, there are Courts of Civil Judge, Junior Division, Civil Judge Senior Division, and District Courts. On the Criminal Side there are the Courts of Judicial Magistrates and Sessions Courts.
Then there are Industrial Courts, Family Courts, Co-operative Courts and various Tribunals.
With regard to the Corporate Sector, there is a Company Law Board constituted by the Central Government under the Provisions of Section 10E of the Companies Act, 1956 which has its Principal Bench in New Delhi and Regional Benches of Single as well as Double Members at New Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
Above all the aforesaid Lower Level Courts, Tribunals and Boards, there are High Courts in each of the States, and above the High Courts is the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi.
India has a written Constitution and codified Central and State law. Its Judiciary is of the highest integrity. The official language is English in the High Courts and the Supreme Court. The Indian Legislature and Judiciary make constant efforts to bring about improvements in Courts and dispense justice speedily. On the recommendation of the General Assembly of the United Nations to consolidate and amend the law relating to domestic arbitration, international arbitration and enforcement of the foreign arbitral awards a new Arbitration and Conciliation Act has been enacted. To expedite the disposals of cases concerning the transactions related to Banks a special tribunal is being established. To facilitate foreign investment, foreign joint venture and globalization of Indian Trade & Industry, various amendments have been thought of in the existing Companies Act, 1956 and a proposal of enacting a new Take-over Code is under consideration. The Income-Tax Act, 1961, which at present is lengthy and complicated, is thought of being revised and in its place a simple Tax Law is proposed to be enacted. In short there is a general tendency towards improvement in laws and Courts.
Click Here to see a Diagram on The Indian Legal Hierarchy