Union Cabinet approves five-year extension and expansion of fast-track courts for rape and POCSO cases

Scheme Extension

The Union Cabinet approved a five-year continuation of the central scheme for fast-track special courts, running through March 2031. This system targets cases involving rape and violations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012. The project began on October 10, 2019, following directions from the Supreme Court, and has already seen multiple deadline extensions.

Budget And Setup

The approved plan involves a total financial layout of 3,788.04 crore rupees. The central government will provide 2,353.15 crore rupees of this funding using resources from the Nirbhaya Fund, while state governments and union territories will contribute 1,434.89 crore rupees. Across the country, 779 such courts are currently active, which includes 399 courts dedicated entirely to POCSO matters. These benches have successfully resolved over 4.02 lakh cases since the project started.

Future Targets

autoridades plan to scale up operations to 850 fast-track courts across participating regions, guided by pending case numbers in each area. Each court will feature a dedicated judge, a special public prosecutor, and six support workers to speed up trials. Official statements note that the continuation helps lower case backlogs and supports the creation of child-friendly courtrooms and vulnerable witness deposition centres so victims can share testimony without extra trauma.

Context

Fast-track special courts are temporary judicial bodies set up to fast-forward trials for specific urgent offenses like crimes against women and minors. India faces a heavy backlog of legal cases across its court system, making dedicated funding and specialized staffing essential for reducing trial delays.