Tamil Nadu has sanctioned 26 new POCSO special courts and four special courts for cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, aiming to accelerate trials and reduce the backlog of cases involving crimes against children and drug offences. The orders followed a review of pending POCSO cases chaired by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, according to an official release reported by PTI.
The new POCSO courts will comprise 12 newly established courts and 14 additional courts, with a total sanctioned outlay of Rs 46.59 crore. Once operational, Tamil Nadu will have 52 special courts across 47 police districts exclusively handling cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
At present, 22 special courts are functional in the state for POCSO cases, while four more are nearing operationalisation. The government said the expansion was planned after reviewing case statistics, the status of pending matters and the need for additional dedicated judicial capacity.
The Chief Minister directed officials to establish dedicated POCSO courts in all districts and expedite trial proceedings, the release said. The stated objective is to ensure faster hearings, timely justice for victims and legal punishment for offenders.
The decision adds judicial capacity to a system in which the speed of trial depends not only on police investigation and prosecution but also on the availability of courts equipped to handle specialised cases. By assigning courts exclusively to POCSO matters, the government is seeking to reduce competition for hearing time with other criminal cases.
Tamil Nadu has also sanctioned four new NDPS special courts as part of its Drug-Free Tamil Nadu campaign. One court each will be established in Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore, while Chennai will receive an additional special court. The government said the measure would help fast-track pending cases under the NDPS Act while following due legal procedures.
There are currently 11 functional NDPS special courts in Tamil Nadu, according to the official release. The additional courts are intended to strengthen the state’s capacity to dispose of pending drug-related cases and support faster judicial proceedings.
The government’s next steps involve operationalising the sanctioned courts and bringing the four POCSO courts that are nearing completion into service. The new courts will handle cases under the POCSO Act and NDPS Act as part of the state’s effort to speed up trials.
