Fast-track courts take 4 years for POCSO cases, says Delhi High Court report

The affidavit by the Delhi HC registrar general Reetesh Singh was filed on November 4 in a suo motu petition over the recent rape incidents in the Capital.

It takes an average of four years for a fast track court (FTC) set up in the Capital to dispose cases of rape or sexual offences involving minors under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso), a report filed by the Delhi High Court in the Supreme Court has revealed.

In the past three years (January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025), 10,014 cases were disposed of by these courts. (PTI/ Representational)

The affidavit by the Delhi High Court registrar general Reetesh Singh was filed on November 4 in a suo motu petition over the recent rape incidents in the Capital.

Pendency of cases

Giving a comprehensive report on the functioning of the 23 fast track courts (FTC), 31 special courts, and seven other courts handling rape cases, the high court stated that despite more than 10,000 cases being disposed in the past three years (2023-25), the total pendency of cases in these courts is 15,890.

The total pendency of cases as on September 30, 2026, in FTCs is 6,195 cases; before special courts 8,181 cases; and 1,514 cases before the other seven courts. Pendency of Pocso cases alone comes to 10,616 cases.

In the past three years (January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025), 10,014 cases were disposed of by these courts.

The Delhi HC affidavit gave court-wise data on average time it takes to dispose of cases. The Pocso FTC courts required an average of 1,720 days (approximately 4 years and seven months) for final disposal of cases. At the same time, the FTC for rape cases require an average time of 1,533 days (4 years and 2 months), and FTC for sexual assault cases require 1,493 days (four years).

The corresponding time taken by special courts for Pocso cases is 1,854 days (a little over 5 years) and for rape cases is 1,639 days (approximately 4 years and four months). The period is counted from the date when the case is registered in the court till the date of its disposal and the total disposal days include the ensuing holidays as well.

Considering the slow progress made by FTCs set up with the purpose of expediting trial in these cases, a committee constituted by the high court examined the issue on three occasions this year. It found that, in Delhi, the average disposal rate per month per FTC for the year 2025 was 4.68, well below the standard of 13.75 cases per month per FTC fixed by the Union ministry of law and justice.

The committee was informed of two major deficiencies causing low disposal of cases – delay in getting scientific and chemical analysis reports from the forensic science laboratory (FSL) and absence of a dedicated public prosecutor in each of the FTC or special courts. While discussions with stakeholders are currently on to improve on the first aspect, as regards the other issue, additional public prosecutors have been assigned to each court.

On September 28, the bench of justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran issued a slew of directions to the Delhi police, Centre, Delhi government and the Delhi HC to streamline the mechanism for prevention of crimes against women, securing public spaces for citizens, and ensuring speedy trial of cases.