Fast Track Special Courts scheme continued to 2031 and widened to 850 courts

4 November 2026

The Union Cabinet has approved continuing the centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Courts scheme for five more years, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. The scheme pays for speedy trial of rape cases and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Its total outlay is Rs 3,788.04 crore, of which the central share is Rs 2,353.15 crore and the state and union territory share Rs 1,434.89 crore. The central share comes from the Nirbhaya Fund. Coverage grows from 779 functional courts, of which 399 are exclusive POCSO courts, to 850, with the expansion decided on pending case data. Each court is staffed with a judicial officer, a dedicated Special Public Prosecutor and six support staff. The Department of Justice runs the scheme, which began on 2 October 2019 under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and in compliance with a Supreme Court order of 2019. The release says 4,02,457 cases have been disposed of since the scheme started.