Fast-track courts fail to keep pace as 2.5 lakh rape, POCSO cases remain pending

India's fast-track special courts, set up to ensure speedy trials in rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases, continue to grapple with a massive backlog, with over 2.5 lakh cases pending as of December 31, 2025, according to The Times of India.

The report said that while more than 1.4 lakh rape and POCSO cases were registered during 2025, only around 66,500 were disposed of, underscoring the slow pace of trials despite the scheme's mandate to complete proceedings within a year of courts taking cognisance of offences.

The pendency has remained above 2 lakh for the past three years and has consistently hovered around that level since the fast-track special court scheme was launched in 2019, TOI reported.


Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the Centre has extended the scheme until September 30 this year after its previous extension ended on March 31, 2026.

According to information shared by high courts, 775 fast-track special courts, including 398 exclusive POCSO courts, were operational across 29 states and Union Territories as of April, Meghwal said.

The Centre and states jointly fund these courts in a 60:40 ratio, covering the salaries of one judicial officer and seven support staff per court, along with grants for operational expenses. Since the scheme's inception, the Centre has released ₹1,260 crore to states and Union Territories to support their functioning.

Meghwal also said he had written to chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, urging timely action and strict adherence to timelines prescribed under the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

However, he noted that recruiting judges and filling vacancies in district and subordinate courts, including fast-track courts, remains the responsibility of state governments and high courts, according to the TOI report.