Parliament Question: Increasing FTSCs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 215 ANSWERED ON – 12/03/2026 INCREASING FTSCs 215 SHRI UJJWAL DEORAO NIKAM:

Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:

(a) the number of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO courts, presently functioning, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the funds allocated under the Centrally Sponsored FTSC Scheme, including from the Nirbhaya Fund, have been fully utilised, and if not, the details of under-utilisation and the corrective steps taken, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether Government proposes to increase the number of FTSCs, in view of pendency of sexual offence cases; and

(d) if so, the details thereof, including the number of additional courts proposed and the time- frame fixed therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

1STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 215 FOR ANSWER ON 12/03/2026 REGARDING ‘INCREASING FTSCs’

(a) to (d): A Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO (ePOCSO) Courts was launched in October,

2019. These courts are dedicated to the time-bound trial and disposal of pending cases related to rape and crimes under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

This Scheme has been extended twice, with the latest extension up to 31st March 2026, for establishment of 790 courts. As per the information made available by the High Courts, as of

31.01.2026, 774 FTSCs, including 398 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts were functional in 29 States/UTs. The State/UT-wise details of functional Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO courts, are provided at Annexure.

The FTSCs have been set up and operationalized under the Nirbhaya Fund. The Department has released a sum of ₹1210.91 crore to the States/UTs since its inception to ensure the smooth functioning of the courts. The funds are released on the pattern of Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Central share: State share :: 60:40, 90:10) to cover the salaries of one Judicial Officer along with 7 support Staff and a Flexi Grant for meeting the day-to-day expenses. The funds are reimbursed to the States/UTs after receipt of the expenditure statements from them. During the current financial year, funds to the tune of ₹176.36 crore have been released to the States/UTs.

The number of FTSCs required to be established is determined at the time of approval of the Scheme. **** 2ANNEXURE STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 215 FOR ANSWER ON 12.03.2026 REGARDING ‘INCREASING FTSCs’.

State/UT-wise details of functional Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO couSrts Functional Courts Sl. No. State/UT FTSCs including Exclusive exclusive POCSO POCSO 1 Andhra Pradesh 16 16 2 Assam 17 17 3 Bihar 54 48 4 Chandigarh 1 0 5 Chhattisgarh 15 11 6 Delhi 16 11 7 Goa 1 0 8 Gujarat 35 24 9 Haryana 18 14 10 Himachal Pradesh 6 3 11 J&K 4 2 12 Karnataka 30 16 13 Kerala 55 14 14 Madhya Pradesh 67 56 15 Maharashtra 37 0 16 Manipur 2 0 17 Meghalaya 5 5 18 Mizoram 3 1 19 Nagaland 1 0 20 Odisha 44 23 21 Puducherry 1 1 22 Punjab 12 3 23 Rajasthan 45 30 24 Tamil Nadu 20 20 25 Telangana 36 0 26 Tripura 3 1 27 Uttarakhand 4 0 28 Uttar Pradesh 218 74 29 West Bengal 8 8 TOTAL 774 398 3