The Delhi Government has given the green signal to set up 16 more fast-track special courts (FTSCs) to deal with sexual assault cases against women and children in the city.
“We have given in-principle approval to the proposal [for 16 FTSCs]. Now we will take it up in the Cabinet and approve it as soon as possible,” Delhi Law Minister Kailash Gahlot told The Hindu .
This comes in the wake of the Delhi High Court writing to the Centre that a response from the Delhi government was awaited on setting up of 16 more FTSCs to dispose such cases faster.
The letter dated December 11, 2019 by the High Court to the Department of Justice of the Central government, accessed by The Hindu , reads, “Court vide letter... dated 22.05.2019 had requested the government of NCT of Delhi to set up 16 fast-track special courts... The response from the government of NCT of Delhi is awaited.”
On November 16, 2018, the Central government had approved a proposal to set up 1,023 FTSCs across the country to dispose of pending cases of rape and POCSO Act quickly, including 16 in Delhi, at a cost of ₹767.25 crore from Nirbhaya Fund.
In December 2018, the Centre had sought comments from the Delhi government on the proposal to set up 16 FTSCs in the city.
The Centre on September 5 asked for a “quick response” from the Delhi government on how to transfer funds for setting up the 16 FTSCs as the cost was shared by Central and State governments.
When the Delhi government contacted the High Court on the matter earlier this year, the latter had said with the pendency of such cases increasing every year, the city needs 59 FTSCs to dispose of 10,009 pending cases, as on December 31, 2018. The court also said that Delhi needs more such FTSCs in subsequent phases.
