In an effort to expedite adjudication in severe sexual offence and child abuse cases across the country, the central administration has approved a five year continuation of its centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Courts initiative. The decision, taken during a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extends the specialized judicial mechanism from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2031. The financial outlay earmarked for this five year operational window stands at 3,788.04 crore rupees. The central government will shoulder 2,353.15 crore rupees of this expenditure, with the participating states and Union Territories contributing the remaining 1,434.89 crore rupees. The Centre will draw its entire financial commitment directly from the Nirbhaya Fund.
Expanding Court Infrastructure to 850 Benches
Under the renewed blueprint, the operational footprint will expand to 850 Fast Track Special Courts, a figure that includes dedicated POCSO benches across participating states and Union Territories. At present, 779 such courts are functioning across the nation, of which 399 operate as exclusive POCSO courts. Expanding this total to 850 aims to bring judicial infrastructure to unserved districts, with allocations determined by the volume of unresolved cases across various jurisdictions.
To guarantee that cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and rape provisions proceed without procedural delays, each court is staffed with a dedicated judicial officer, a Special Public Prosecutor, and six support personnel. Providing an assigned prosecutor for every bench is structured to eliminate routine court delays and keep proceedings focused on continuous, time bound hearings.
Accelerating Disposals and Building Safe Trial Spaces
The core objective behind the Cabinet decision is to bring swift, time bound closure for survivors of sexual crimes while systematically clearing long standing case backlogs. Beyond courtroom speed, the initiative places structural emphasis on witness protection and procedural sensitivity. It promotes the establishment of vulnerable witness deposition centers and child friendly courtrooms, ensuring that children and vulnerable victims can record testimony in a secure environment without experiencing additional trauma during legal trials.
Implementation Model and Performance Oversight
Women and children facing sexual violence and offences covered by the POCSO Act remain the primary beneficiaries of this initiative. Execution will be handled by the Department of Justice in close coordination with state governments and Union Territory administrations. To track operational efficiency, the Department of Justice will monitor institutional metrics through a dedicated online dashboard, periodic progress reports, and audited state expenditure statements, while maintaining continuous consultation with High Courts and regional administrations.
Origins of the Judicial Mechanism Since 2019
This dedicated framework traces back to October 2, 2019, when it was introduced as a centrally sponsored scheme following the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, and in compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court on July 25, 2019. The Supreme Court had mandated that districts carrying more than 100 pending cases under the POCSO Act establish exclusive specialized courts. Initially sanctioned for a single year, the scheme was subsequently extended to March 31, 2026. Since its inception, the judicial network has cleared 4,02,457 cases nationwide.
