UPSC Mains
GS Paper II
Polity & Judiciary
24 July 2026 — Current Affairs
Fast Track Special Courts: How They Work and What the Law Allows
Operational FTSCs
725 (incl. 392 POCSO)
Cases Disposed
3,34,213 Since Inception
Pending POCSO Cases
Over 2.4 Lakh (2023)
Context and Background
- PM Modi announced fast track courts to try paper leak accused following nationwide student protests in 2026.
- The 14th Finance Commission (2015-2020) had earlier recommended Fast Track Courts (FTCs) for heinous crimes pending over five years.
- In 2019, following a Supreme Court direction, the government launched a centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) scheme.
FTSCs are funded partially through the Nirbhaya Fund under a centrally sponsored scheme pattern, and the scheme covers rape cases and offences under the POCSO Act 2012 exclusively.
Key Aspects of the Fast Track Special Courts Scheme
Operational Courts
725 FTSCs are functioning, including 392 exclusive POCSO courts.
Approved Strength
790 FTSCs approved across eligible states and union territories.
Quarterly Target
Each FTSC must dispose of 41-42 cases per quarter.
Court Support
Each court has one judicial officer and seven support staff members.
Monitoring
High Courts and the Department of Justice review implementation regularly.
Constitutional Limit
No absolute time limit can be prescribed for criminal proceedings, per the Rama Chandra Rao judgment (2002).
Challenges Facing Fast Track Special Courts
⚠️
Average disposal stands at just 9.5 cases monthly against the required quarterly target — with over 2.4 lakh POCSO cases still pending as of 2023.
- Most FTSCs lack separate buildings, technology and adequate physical space.
- Judges carry regular court responsibilities alongside their FTSC duties, straining bandwidth.
- Judicial vacancies remain unfilled, slowing hearings and increasing case pendency.
- Complex forensic and witness-related issues cause serious delays in trial completion.
- Weak evidence collection undermines prosecution effectiveness, resulting in a low conviction rate.
- Litigants have no statutory right to a fixed trial deadline, leaving timelines legally unenforceable.
Way Forward: Strengthening the Fast Track Justice System
Dedicated Buildings
Establish FTSCs in separate, fully equipped court buildings.
Fill Vacancies
Appoint judges on priority without additional regular court duties.
Scheme Extension
Extend the FTSC scheme beyond 2026 with adequate funding.
Forensic Strengthening
Improve forensic labs, investigation training and witness protection.
Jurisdiction Expansion
Extend FTSCs to cover paper leak and organised crime cases.
Digital Case Management
Introduce mandatory digital scheduling to reduce administrative delays.
Root Cause Approach
Faster trials alone cannot fix systemic governance failures.
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Source: Indian Express
