Fast Track Special Courts extended to 2031 with Rs 3,788 crore, 850 courts
By Meera IyerGovernance & Policy Editor, Peepals Bharat
Representative image: Pexels / Pixabay
The Cabinet on 4 November 2026 extended the Fast Track Special Courts scheme for rape and POCSO cases to March 2031 with Rs 3,788.04 crore and 850 courts.
What Happened
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, approved the continuation of the centrally sponsored scheme for Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for another five years, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031, with a total outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore. The courts hear cases of rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The government plans to expand the network from 779 working courts to 850, so that more districts are covered.
Key Facts
- Decision: the Union Cabinet approved the scheme's continuation on Wednesday, 4 November 2026.
- Period: 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031, covering financial years 2026-27 to 2030-31.
- Outlay: Rs 3,788.04 crore over the five years.
- Current strength: 779 functional courts, of which 399 are exclusive POCSO courts.
- Target: 850 courts, to extend coverage to additional districts.
- Staffing: each court has eight staff, a judicial officer, a special public prosecutor and six support staff.
- Since the scheme began, these courts have disposed of 4,02,457 cases of rape and POCSO offences, according to the government.
- The scheme was first approved for one year and later extended to 31 March 2026; this decision continues it beyond that date.
Why It Matters
Cases of sexual violence against women and children often take years to reach a verdict in India's regular courts, which carry heavy caseloads. The Fast Track Special Courts were set up so that such cases are heard by dedicated judges with their own prosecutors and staff, allowing trials to move faster. Speed matters especially in POCSO cases, where child survivors may have to wait years to give evidence and see a case closed.
Because it is a centrally sponsored scheme, the Centre funds it together with the states. The five-year extension gives states certainty about funding, which matters for hiring judicial officers and prosecutors who would otherwise be on short-term arrangements.
The expansion to 850 courts is meant to reach districts that do not yet have a dedicated court. For families in those districts, it can mean a case being heard closer to home and faster, rather than waiting in a general sessions court.
The scheme's record of more than four lakh disposed cases shows its scale. Disposal speed, however, is only one measure: the quality of investigation, support for survivors during trials and the conviction rate also shape outcomes, and these depend on police, prosecutors and child-protection services as well as the courts.
Peepals calculation: The outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore over five years works out to about Rs 757.6 crore a year (3,788.04 ÷ 5). Spread over the target of 850 courts, that is roughly Rs 89 lakh per court per year (757.6 ÷ 850 ≈ 0.89 crore). Moving from 779 to 850 courts adds 71 courts, an increase of about 9.1% (71 ÷ 779). Our calculation from the reported figures.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total outlay, 2026-27 to 2030-31 | Rs 3,788.04 crore |
| Functional courts now | 779 |
| Of which exclusive POCSO courts | 399 |
| Target number of courts | 850 |
| Staff per court | 8 |
| Cases disposed since launch | 4,02,457 |
Impact
Short-term: Existing courts continue without a funding gap after 31 March 2026, and states can begin setting up the additional courts needed to reach 850.
Long-term: A wider network of dedicated courts over five years could reduce the backlog of rape and POCSO cases and shorten the time survivors wait for a verdict, if posts are filled and courts work at full strength.
Who is affected: Survivors of sexual offences and their families, children in POCSO cases, judicial officers and special public prosecutors, state governments that share the scheme's cost, and district administrations where new courts will open.
Key Takeaway
The Cabinet's 4 November 2026 decision keeps the Fast Track Special Courts scheme running until 31 March 2031 with Rs 3,788.04 crore, and plans to grow it from 779 to 850 courts for rape and POCSO cases.
Questions and Answers
What did the Cabinet decide about Fast Track Special Courts?
On 4 November 2026, the Union Cabinet approved continuing the centrally sponsored Fast Track Special Courts scheme from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031, with an outlay of Rs 3,788.04 crore.
How many Fast Track Special Courts are there?
There are 779 functional courts, including 399 exclusive POCSO courts. The government plans to increase the number to 850.
What cases do Fast Track Special Courts hear?
They hear cases of rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, so that these cases can be tried faster than in regular courts.
How many cases have these courts decided?
According to the government, the courts have disposed of 4,02,457 rape and POCSO cases since the scheme began.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Meera Iyer, Governance & Policy EditorCovers Governance & Policy and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Meera Iyer
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Meera Iyer is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
