Fast track, e-POCSO courts dispose 4,979 cases in Assam

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts have facilitated the disposal of 4,979 cases in Assam since the scheme was implemented on October 2019. There are 17 FTSCs, including e-POCSO courts, in Assam.

Since the inception of the scheme in Assam, a total of 10,186 cases have been instituted in the FTSCs, with 4,979 cumulative disposals and a cumulative pendency of 5,207 cases as of December 2023.

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme for setting up Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts, was initiated in October 2019, pursuant to the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2018, for expeditious trial and disposal of pending cases pertaining to the Rape and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in a time-bound manner, according to the Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The scheme was initially for one year, which was further extended up to March, 2023. The Union Cabinet has extended the scheme for another three years, from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2026, at a total outlay of Rs. 1952.23 crore, including Rs. 1207.24 crore as the central share to be incurred from the Nirbhaya Fund.

The setting up of Fast Track Special Courts is aimed at women’s security, combating sexual and gender-based violence, reducing the backlog of pending cases related to rape and the POCSO Act, and providing expeditious access to justice for survivors of sexual crimes.

Notably, FTSCs have adopted the approach of setting up Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres within the courts to facilitate the victims and to make the courts into child-friendly courts, providing crucial support for a compassionate legal system.

Also Read: Assam: Man Gets Life Sentence, Another Receives 20 Years Under POCSO Act

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