Fast Track Special Courts Not Giving Their Best: Law Minister Kiren Rijiju

The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the present performance of FastTrack Special Courts (FTSCs) set up in various parts of the country.

Rijiju was addressing at a two-day conference in New Delhi on the subject of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), which was organised by the National Human Rights Commission.

In 2019, the Centre established 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 389 exclusive POCSO Courts throughout all States and UTs for the expeditious trial and disposition of rape and POCSO Act cases.

“Presently, I am not very satisfied with how these FTSCs are functioning. That is why I reiterated in the joint conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices that I will devote our time to this. I want the judiciary and government to come together. We have to raise the level of our efforts,” Rijiju remarked adding that effects of legislative actions “must trickle down to the ground”.

He also urged the states’ chief ministers and high court chief justices to “do much more” for the better performance of these special courts

“Some of the states I don’t want to name particularly… we have mentioned that we are not happy with the performance of those particular high courts and state governments. The Chief Justices of those particular High Courts and the Chief Ministers of some of the states must do much more,” he comtinued.

The Law Minister emphasised the importance of the judiciary and the government working together to make India a safe and progressive society for women and children, saying that criminal legislation, particularly the Criminal Law Reform Act of 2018, must be implemented at all levels.

“There is legislative purpose, but intention alone is meaningless,” Rijiju observed. He further stated that state governments and the Centre must “work as a team” to better administer criminal laws.