New Delhi:The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the extension of fast-track special courts (FTSCs), set up to provide timely justice to victims of sexual offences, for three more years, with financial implications over Rs.1,952 crore.Fast-track courts, which were first introduced in 2000, began to receive renewed government support in the wake of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape case.
After the passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2018, the Centre set up 1,023 FTSCs, including 389 to deal exclusively with cases related to violations of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, in 31 states and union territories.Though the centrally sponsored scheme, under which these courts operated, ended on March 31, 2023, the Union ministry of law & justice sought permission and funds from the Cabinet to extend it by three years.
