Question : Fast-Track Courts

(a) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of fast-track courts in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) the total amount allocated and the expenditure incurred during each of the last three years and the current year for setting up of these courts;

(d) whether the Government has allocated more funds to various States for the establishment of these courts and for appointment of more judges in these courts; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER


MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)


(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 314 FOR THE 02nd JANUARY, 2019 REGARDING ‘FAST TRACK COURTS’

(a) to (e): The decision of setting up of Fast Track Courts (FTCs) and allocation of funds lies within the domain of the State Governments who set up such courts as per their need and resources, in consultation with the concerned High Courts. In its judgment in Brij Mohan Lal & Others vs Union of India & Others on 19.04.2012, the Supreme Court had, inter alia, directed the States that they shall not take a decision to continue FTCs on an ad-hoc and temporary basis. They (States) will need to decide either to bring the FTCs scheme to an end or to continue the same as a permanent feature in the State.
The Government of India proposed setting up of 1800 FTCs with a cost of Rs.4144 crore as a component of its Memorandum to the 14th Finance Commission (FC) in order to dispose of cases pertaining to heinous crimes involving women, children etc. The 14th FC endorsed the proposal of the Union Government and urged the State Governments to use the additional fiscal space provided by the Commission in the tax devolution from 32% to 42% to meet such requirements. As per information received from State and UT Governments, the number of Fast Track Courts functioning State/UT-wise is given in Annexure.
In accordance with a Supreme Court order, Government is providing financial assistance for running 12 Special Courts in 11 states to expeditiously dispose off criminal cases against MPs and MLAs.
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Annexure
Details of Fast Track Courts (FTCs) functional (State-wise)

S.No Name of the State No. of FTCs
1. Andhra Pradesh 21
2. Telangana 38
3. Assam 3
4. Arunachal Pradesh 0
5. Mizoram 0
6. Nagaland 0
7. Bihar 48
8. Chhattisgarh 23
9. Gujarat 0
10. Himachal Pradesh 0
11. Jammu & Kashmir 0
12. Jharkhand 0
13. Karnataka 0
14. Kerala, Lakshadweep 0
15. Madhya Pradesh 0
16. Maharashtra, D&N, Daman & Diu 100
17. Goa 2
18. Manipur 4
19. Meghalaya 0
20. Orissa 0
21.
22.
23. Punjab 0
Chandigarh 0
Haryana 0
24. Rajasthan 0
25. Sikkim 2
26. Tamil Nadu, Puducherry 72
27. Tripura 3
28. Uttar Pradesh 286
29. Uttarakhand 4
30. West Bengal, A&N Islands 88
31. Delhi 14
Total 708