Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that the Delhi government has cleared a plan to establish 53 new fast-track special courts to expedite the trial and disposal of cases involving crimes against women and children.
At present, the Capital has 16 such courts functioning on an ad-hoc basis. These will now be converted into permanent courts, taking the total number of dedicated fast-track courts to 53, officials said.
“We want to ensure that victims are not forced to wait for years to receive justice. This move will not only guarantee timely justice but will also strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of women’s empowerment and a safe India. With this decision, women in Delhi will now be able to move forward with greater confidence and a stronger sense of security. This is not just about increasing the number of courts, but a long-term initiative to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the justice delivery system,” CM Gupta said after issuing directions to the law and finance departments to begin the process immediately.
Officials privy to the matter said that more than 17,000 cases related to crimes against women and children are currently pending in different courts across the city. The slow pace of hearings has left victims and their families waiting for years, they added.
The decision follows deliberations at a recent high-level meeting of the women’s safety task force chaired by lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The LG had stressed the urgency of tackling the growing pendency and pressed the government to set up additional courts, one of the officials cited above said.
According to a statement from the Delhi chief minister, the law department subsequently consulted the Delhi High Court, which recommended the creation of 37 additional fast-track courts and the conversion of 16 existing ad-hoc courts into permanent ones. The government accepted these proposals, raising the total to 53.
The CM added that her government will ensure adequate infrastructure, judicial officers, and support staff for the new courts. A proposal has already been forwarded by the law department to the finance department for the appointment of 53 judicial officers, an official said.
“These courts will primarily hear cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and cases of rape under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, or Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” Gupta said. “Time-bound justice in such cases will not only provide relief to survivors but will also send a strong message of deterrence to society.”