Sanction more fast track courts: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi government to place before the state Cabinet the requirement for 18 more fast track and 22 commercial courts, while hearing a plea which had sought that the fast track courts be made permanent.

The court noted that there are over 6,000 cases of sexual assault against children and over 2,000 cases of rape pending.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani said the high court had sanctioned certain posts of judges for establishing fast track and commercials courts but the matter has been pending before the government for over two years.“Once the high court made the demand, government is duty bound to process it,” the bench observed.

The court was hearing a PIL by Prag Chawla, filed through advocate Sumit Chander, which had contended that the fast track courts be made permanent at the district level according to the earlier directions of the Supreme Court. The plea had stated that the registrar general had made representations to authorities to make fast-track courts a permanent feature by sanctioning more posts of judges and ancillary staff, but to date no action has been taken.

On Thursday, the court was informed that 6,414 cases under the POCSO Act and over 2,800 cases of sexual offences, particularly rape, are pending in Delhi.

It noted that the provision of the CrPC stated that cases of rape under the IPC and of sexual offences against minors under the POCSO Act should be decided in two months after the filing of the charge sheet.

Following this, the court said, “We direct that requirement for 22 commercial courts and 18 FTCs as demanded by the high court be placed before the Cabinet,” the bench said.

Despite multiple attempts, the Delhi government spokesperson could not be reached for comment.