Since 2009, Chandigarh has been setting the pace

Even as demands and reports of fast-track trials in cases of crime against women pour in ever since the heinous Delhi bus gangrape two months ago, the district courts in Chandigarh have been dispensing speedy justice in such cases since 2009 as a norm.

Even as demands and reports of fast-track trials in cases of crime against women pour in ever since the heinous Delhi bus gangrape two months ago, the district courts in Chandigarh have been dispensing speedy justice in such cases since 2009 as a norm.

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In fact, there have been instances where the trial has been concluded in a single day.

This has been possible thanks to faster and more frequent hearings of cases where the victims are women or children. The fast-tracking became a norm on directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court administrative wing in 2009.

Public prosecutor Manu Kakkar, who argues most of these cases, explains, "It has to be ensured that all the witnesses are present in the court on a given time, apart from making sure that the case property is also produced in the court on the same day."

On the effort that goes in, he says, “Putting trials on the fast track requires planning and co-ordination between different wings of the justice delivery system. A lot depends on the service of summons that has to be done in an effective manner and in advance.”

“We have to see how many witnesses are there, and how man would be required to prove the case.

Thus, thinning down the list of witnesses is key.”