Lok Sabha Question No. 4221 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-21
Subject: FTCs in Jharkhand
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4221 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 21 st  MARCH, 2018

## FTCs in Jharkhand

## †4221. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Fast Track Courts (FTCs) have been set up in Jharkhand;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the required funds have  not been  released to ensure overall  smooth functioning of the said FTCs;
- (d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (e) the funds released for the State of Jharkhand for the said purpose during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## Minister of State for  Law & Justice and Corporate Affairs (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b): As per information received from the High Court of Jharkhand, at present, no Fast  Track  Court  (FTC) is  functional  in  the  State  of  Jharkhand.    However,  14  Courts  with judicial  officers  of  the  rank  of  District  &  Additional  Sessions  Judge  as  Presiding  Officers have  been  designated  as  FTCs  for  trial  of  cases  related  to  witch  (dayan)  murder/torture, offences against women and rape.  Out of these, presently 9 Courts are functional while 5 are not functional. The details of these courts are given as Annexure.

(c) to (e): Setting up of subordinate courts, which includes FTCs, falls within the domain of  the  State  Governments  who  set  up  such  Courts  as  per  their  need  and  resources,  in consultation with the concerned High Courts.

However, the Union Government in its Memorandum to the 14 th Finance Commission proposed setting up of 50 FTCs in the State of Jharkhand for a period of five years at a cost of Rs.115.11 crore to deal with all cases of heinous crimes like cases involving senior citizens, women,  children,  etc.  and  urged  the  State  Government  to  use  the  additional  fiscal  space provided by the Commission in the form of enhanced tax devolution (from 32% to 42%) to meet such requirements.

…..

ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTs (a) & (b) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4221 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST  MARCH, 2018 ASKED BY SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK REGARDING FTCs IN JHARKHAND

| Sl. No.                              | District                             | Number of Courts   |
|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------|
| Courts Designated and functional     | Courts Designated and functional     |                    |
| 1                                    | Ranchi                               | 2                  |
| 2                                    | Dhanbad                              | 3                  |
| 3                                    | Bokaro                               | 2                  |
| 4                                    | East Singhbhum at Jamshedpur         | 1                  |
| 5                                    | Hazaribagh                           | 1                  |
| Courts Designated but not functional | Courts Designated but not functional |                    |
| 1                                    | Ranchi                               | 1                  |
| 2                                    | Singhbhum West at Chaibasa           | 1                  |
| 3                                    | Khunti                               | 1                  |
| 4                                    | Palamau                              | 1                  |
| 5                                    | Simdega                              | 1                  |