524 fast track courts are functional in the country: Government

NEW DELHI: As many as 524 fast-track courts are functional in the country and the Centre is trying to sensitise state governments to set up more such courts, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.

The Minister of Law and Justice also emphasised that the 14th Finance Commission has endorsed the proposal to strengthen the judicial system, including by setting up 1,800 fast track courts.

There are 524 functional fast track courts in the country while some states do not have any such court, according to data provided by the Minister as part of a written reply.

Members from Kerala protested claiming that the data showing the state did not have any fast track court was wrong.

Of them, 183 are in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra (100), Tamil Nadu (39), Andhra Pradesh (38) and Telangana (34), the data showed.

During Question Hour, Prasad said the central government was trying to sensitise state governments to establish more fast track courts as "infrastructure development" was the responsibility of the states.

"Setting up of subordinate courts, including fast track courts, is the responsibility of the state governments which, in consultation with the respective High Courts, set up such courts from their own resources," he noted.

The 14th Finance Commission has urged state governments to use the additional fiscal space provided by it in the tax devolution to meet the requirements, including those related to strengthening judicial system and establishing fast track courts, Prasad said.