Delhi has 16 Fast Track Special Courts, 11 dedicated to POCSO cases: Centre

Delhi has 16 functional Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 11 exclusive courts for cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Union government informed Parliament on Friday.

In a reply to a starred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said 775 FTSCs, including 398 exclusive POCSO courts, were functional across 29 States and Union Territories as of April 30, 2026. The centrally sponsored scheme, launched in October 2019 to ensure the speedy trial of rape and POCSO cases, has been temporarily extended till September 30, 2026.

According to the state-wise data tabled in Parliament, Delhi has 16 FTSCs, of which 11 function exclusively as POCSO courts.

The Centre also said it released Rs 3.47 crore to Delhi under the FTSC scheme in 2023-24, Rs 1.98 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 12.84 crore in 2025-26, taking the total central assistance over the three-year period to about Rs 18.28 crore.

At the national level, FTSCs registered 81,471 cases in 2023, 88,902 in 2024 and 1,43,936 in 2025. During the same period, the courts disposed of 76,319, 85,595 and 66,500 cases respectively, while pending cases increased from 2,02,175 in 2023 to 2,45,579 by the end of 2025.

The government said regular review meetings are held with States, Union Territories and High Courts to improve the functioning of FTSCs and ensure timely disposal of cases. It added that while recruitment of judicial officers is the responsibility of the respective State governments and High Courts, the Centre continues to support judicial infrastructure through a separate centrally sponsored scheme.