Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that her Government has announced the establishment of 53 new Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the Capital. According to the Chief Minister, these courts will primarily hear cases under the POCSO Act, 2012, and rape cases (Section 376 of IPC/Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita).
At present, 16 such courts are functioning on a temporary/ad-hoc basis in Delhi, and these will also be converted into permanent courts. The chief minister said the Government has already issued orders to set up the 37 new courts with immediate effect.
The CM shared that more than 17,000 cases related to crimes against women and children are currently pending before the courts. The slow pace of hearings has been delaying justice for victims and their families. A few months ago, during a high-level meeting of the Task Force on Women’s Safety chaired by Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena, this issue was discussed with utmost seriousness. The Lieutenant Governor had issued directions stating that women’s safety must remain the top priority and that immediate, concrete steps must be taken in this regard.
Following the Lieutenant Governor’s directions, the Law Department consulted the Delhi High Court, which recommended the creation of 37 additional FTSCs and the permanent status for the existing 16.
The Government has decided to expedite the recruitment of all necessary personnel for the new courts. This includes the appointment of 53 new judicial officers and supporting staff. A proposal has already been sent to the Finance Department, and the appointments are expected to be completed soon.