India's Fast-Track Special Courts Struggle with Rising Backlog of 2.5 Lakh Cases
India's Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs), established in 2019 to expedite trials in rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases, are facing a mounting backlog. Data analysed by the Times of India shows that annual disposals dropped to 66,500 cases in 2025, down from 85,595 in 2024—a decline of over 22 percent. Meanwhile, pending cases rose from just over 2 lakh at the end of 2024 to nearly 2.5 lakh by the close of 2025.
The trend indicates that despite an expansion in judicial capacity, fresh cases continue to outpace disposals. Since 2021, pendency has increased by nearly one-third, from around 1.8 lakh to nearly 2.5 lakh, even as annual disposals almost doubled between 2021 and 2024 before declining last year. This points to a structural challenge rather than a temporary slowdown. Rising case inflows, judicial vacancies, infrastructure constraints, and limited courtroom capacity have pushed pendency upwards.
Currently, 775 FTSCs are operational, including 398 exclusive POCSO courts, against a target of at least 790. These courts have disposed of nearly 3.9 lakh cases since inception, but with nearly 2.5 lakh still pending, the gains have not led to a sustained reduction in backlog. The effectiveness of the scheme varies widely across states, depending on staffing, infrastructure, and the volume of new cases.
The FTSC scheme is a separate initiative from earlier Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which were introduced in 2000. The Nirbhaya case of 2012 spurred the creation of additional courts for sexual offences, culminating in the FTSC scheme under the Nirbhaya Fund in October 2019. The scheme has been extended until September 30, 2026.
