Jaipur: Out of 6,801 pending cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the fast-track courts in Rajasthan, 4,015 (59 per cent) have been disposed of in 2022, according to data from the ministry of law and justice. “The government of India, taking cognisance of the seriousness and sensitivity of the increasing number of pending cases of rape, brought the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, which amended Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the POCSO Act, 2012,” said the reply by Union minister of law and justice Kiren Rijiju to a starred question in Lok Sabha on February 10. There are 45 functional fast-track special courts in Rajasthan, it said.
“The amended law increased the minimum punishment for rape to 10 years of imprisonment, extendable to life imprisonment. In cases of rape of girls under 12 years of age, provision of death penalty was introduced. A time limit of two months each for investigation and trial was prescribed vide Sections 173(1A) and Section 309 of CrPC,” added the reply.
The reply further said, “To ensure a time-bound disposal of cases as mandated in the Act, and in compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court in Suo Moto 1/2019 dated July 25, 2019, the government started a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) in October 2019, to set up 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 389 exclusive POCSO courts, in 31 States/UTs. As per the guidelines of the FTSC scheme, each court is to dispose of 165 cases per year.”
“The amended law increased the minimum punishment for rape to 10 years of imprisonment, extendable to life imprisonment. In cases of rape of girls under 12 years of age, provision of death penalty was introduced. A time limit of two months each for investigation and trial was prescribed vide Sections 173(1A) and Section 309 of CrPC,” added the reply.
The reply further said, “To ensure a time-bound disposal of cases as mandated in the Act, and in compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court in Suo Moto 1/2019 dated July 25, 2019, the government started a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) in October 2019, to set up 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 389 exclusive POCSO courts, in 31 States/UTs. As per the guidelines of the FTSC scheme, each court is to dispose of 165 cases per year.”
