TN Govt Sanctions 26 New POCSO Courts, Four NDPS Courts to Speed Up Trials

The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned 26 new special courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and four special courts under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to expedite trials and ensure timely justice, following directions from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

According to an official release issued on Sunday, the decision aims to strengthen the state's judicial infrastructure, address the backlog of pending cases and ensure swift legal action against offenders involved in crimes against women and children, as well as drug-related offences.

The move follows a recent review meeting chaired by Vijay to assess the status of pending POCSO cases across Tamil Nadu. During the meeting, the chief minister examined case statistics, the progress of ongoing proceedings and the requirement for additional dedicated courts. He subsequently directed officials to establish special POCSO courts across districts and take steps to accelerate trials.

Currently, 22 POCSO special courts are functional in the state, while four more are nearing operationalisation. The newly sanctioned 26 courts comprise 12 new special courts and 14 additional courts, with a total financial allocation of Rs 46.59 crore.

With their establishment, Tamil Nadu will have 52 dedicated POCSO special courts across 47 police districts, exclusively handling cases registered under the POCSO Act, 2012. The government expects the expansion to facilitate speedy trials and strengthen deterrence against offences involving children.

Separately, under its 'Drug-Free Tamil Nadu' campaign, the state has sanctioned four additional special courts to fast-track pending cases under the NDPS Act.

Of these, one court each will be established in Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore, while Chennai will receive an additional special court.

The state currently has 11 functional NDPS special courts. The latest expansion is intended to improve the disposal of pending drug-related cases and strengthen enforcement through timely judicial proceedings, the release added.