Lok Sabha Question No. 5579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Fast Track Courts and Fast Track Special Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Ms. S Jothimani

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5579 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2026

## FAST TRACK COURTS AND FAST TRACK SPECIAL COURTS

## 5579.  MS. S JOTHIMANI:

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

(a)  the  total  number  of  Fast  Track  Courts  (FTCs)  and  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs) operational across the country for handling cases related to sexual offences and crimes against women and children, State-wise;

(b)  the  number  of  such  courts  functioning  in  Tamil  Nadu,  and  whether  the  State  has  sought additional FTCs based on case pendency and demand, if so, the status thereof;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any review or evaluation of the performance of FTCs, including case disposal rates and conviction rates, and if so, the key findings;

(d)  whether  there  are  challenges  related  to  judicial  vacancies,  inadequate  infrastructure,  or funding that are impacting the effectiveness of these courts across States, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to expand the number of FTCs under centrally sponsored schemes  and  increase  budgetary  allocations  for  their  efficient  functioning,  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) to (e): The Fast Track Courts (FTCs) are set up by the States/UTs in consultation with the respective High Courts, as per their requirements and availability of resources. In this regard, the 14th Finance Commission recommended the setting up of 1800 Fast Track Courts (FTCs) during the  period  2015-2020  for  expeditious  trial  of  specific  categories  of  cases  including  heinous crimes, cases involving women, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, individuals afflicted with terminal illnesses, and property-related cases pending for more than five years. As per information received from the High Courts, 862 FTCs are functional across 21 State/UTs including 73 FTCs in Tamil Nadu as on 31.01.2026. The State/UT-wise details of functional Fast Track Courts (FTCs), is provided at Annexure- I. No central assistance to the States is being provided for setting up of these Fast Track Courts. Central government has not conducted any third-party  evaluation  of  the  FTCs  in  recent  past.  There  is  no  proposal  with  the  Central government to expand the number of FTCs under centrally sponsored schemes.

Further, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO (ePOCSO) Courts was launched in October, 2019. These

courts are dedicated to the time-bound trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and offences  under  the  Protection  of  Children  from  Sexual  Offences  (POCSO)  Act,  2012.  The Scheme  has  been  extended  twice,  with  the  latest  extension  up  to  31st  March  2026,  for establishment of 790 courts. As per the information made available by the High Courts, as of 31.01.2026, 774 FTSCs, including 398 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts were functional in 29  States/UTs.  The  State/UT-wise  details  of  functional  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs), including  exclusive  POCSO  courts,  are  provided  at Annexure  -II. The  number  of  FTSCs required to be established is determined at the time of approval of the Scheme.

The  impact  of  the  FTSCs  Scheme  has  been  assessed  through  third-party  evaluations conducted during the extensions of the Scheme. The evaluation reports underscored the positive impact of the Scheme and recommended its continuation.

There are several reasons that lead to delay in disposal of cases in courts which, inter-alia, include availability of physical infrastructure, complexity  of  facts involved, quality of investigation, nature of evidence, co-operation of stake holders viz. bar, investigation agencies, legal representation, forensic support, witnesses and litigants and proper application of rules and procedures.

***

## The State/UT-wise details of functional Fast Track Courts (FTCs)

(As on 31.01.2026)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the States/UTs   |   Functional FTCs |
|-----------|--------------------------|-------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh           |                21 |
| 2         | Assam                    |                14 |
| 3         | Chhattisgarh             |                27 |
| 4         | Delhi                    |                26 |
| 5         | Goa                      |                 4 |
| 6         | Gujarat                  |                54 |
| 7         | Haryana                  |                 6 |
| 8         | Himachal Pradesh         |                 3 |
| 9         | Jammu &Kashmir           |                 8 |
| 10        | Jharkhand                |                41 |
| 11        | Maharashtra              |               105 |
| 12        | Manipur                  |                 1 |
| 13        | Mizoram                  |                 2 |
| 14        | Puducherry               |                 1 |
| 15        | Punjab                   |                 7 |
| 16        | Sikkim                   |                 2 |
| 17        | Tamil Nadu               |                73 |
| 18        | Tripura                  |                 2 |
| 19        | Uttar Pradesh            |               373 |
| 20        | Uttarakhand              |                 4 |
| 21        | West Bengal              |                88 |
|           | TOTAL                    |               862 |

## The State/UT-wise details of functional Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs)

(As on 31.01.2026)

|         |                  | Functional Courts               | Functional Courts   |
|---------|------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------|
| Sl. No. | States/UTs       | FTSCs including exclusive POCSO | exclusive POCSO     |
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh   | 16                              | 16                  |
| 2       | Assam            | 17                              | 17                  |
| 3       | Bihar            | 54                              | 48                  |
| 4       | Chandigarh       | 1                               | 0                   |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh     | 15                              | 11                  |
| 6       | Delhi            | 16                              | 11                  |
| 7       | Goa              | 1                               | 0                   |
| 8       | Gujarat          | 35                              | 24                  |
| 9       | Haryana          | 18                              | 14                  |
| 10      | Himachal Pradesh | 6                               | 3                   |
| 11      | J&K              | 4                               | 2                   |
| 12      | Karnataka        | 30                              | 16                  |
| 13      | Kerala           | 55                              | 14                  |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh   | 67                              | 56                  |
| 15      | Maharashtra      | 37                              | 0                   |
| 16      | Manipur          | 2                               | 0                   |
| 17      | Meghalaya        | 5                               | 5                   |
| 18      | Mizoram          | 3                               | 1                   |
| 19      | Nagaland         | 1                               | 0                   |
| 20      | Odisha           | 44                              | 23                  |
| 21      | Puducherry       | 1                               | 1                   |
| 22      | Punjab           | 12                              | 3                   |
| 23      | Rajasthan        | 45                              | 30                  |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu       | 20                              | 20                  |
| 25      | Telangana        | 36                              | 0                   |
| 26      | Tripura          | 3                               | 1                   |
| 27      | Uttarakhand      | 4                               | 0                   |
| 28      | Uttar Pradesh    | 218                             | 74                  |
| 29      | West Bengal      | 8                               | 8                   |
|         | TOTAL            | 774                             | 398                 |