1,023 spl courts to expedite trial of Pocso cases

Each of these special courts is expected to dispose of at least 165 such cases per year, said a proposal by the Department of Justice under Union Law Ministry.

A total of 1,023 FTSCs will be set up, out of which 389 courts, as per a Supreme Court direction, will exclusively handle cases registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, it said.

The remaining 634 FTSCs will deal with either rape cases or both rape and Pocso Act cases depending on the pendency and requirement. “Each FTSC is expected to dispose of 41-42 cases each quarter and at least 165 cases in a year,” the proposal added.

According to the Department’s proposal note, a total of 1,66,882 cases of rape and those under Pocso Act are pending trial in various courts across the country.

There are 389 districts in the country where the number of pending cases under Pocso Act exceeds 100. Therefore, as per the apex court directives, each of such districts will have one exclusive Pocso court, which will try no other cases, the note said.

The process of setting up of these FTSCs is likely to begin on October 2, the Law Ministry had earlier said.