MAINS Current Affairs includes Corruption in India: Challenges and the Way Forward & Government Clarification on Designated Authority Under FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026

GOVERNANCE

1. Fast-Track Courts (FTCs)

Context: The Prime Minister of India recently announced the establishment of Fast-Track Courts (FTCs) for the speedy trial and stringent punishment of those involved in paper leak cases.

The announcement reflects the government’s emphasis on ensuring swift justice, strengthening public confidence in the judicial system, and addressing crimes that have significant social and economic consequences.

What are Fast-Track Courts (FTCs)?

Fast-Track Courts (FTCs) are special courts established to ensure the speedy trial and disposal of pending cases, particularly those involving:

• Heinous crimes;
• Crimes against women and children;
• Cases involving vulnerable sections;
• Long-pending criminal matters.

Their primary objective is to reduce judicial delays and uphold the principle that “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.”

Objectives of Fast-Track Courts

The major objectives of FTCs are:

• Speedy disposal of pending cases.
• Reduction of judicial backlog.
• Timely justice for victims.
• Greater public confidence in the justice system.
• Improved efficiency in criminal justice administration.
• Better protection for vulnerable groups.

Legal Framework Governing Fast-Track Courts

India does not have a single comprehensive law governing Fast-Track Courts.

Instead, they have been established through:

• Government schemes;
• Judicial directions;
• Recommendations of Finance Commissions; and
• Specific legislative amendments.

Evolution of Fast-Track Courts

1. Fourteenth Finance Commission (2015–2020)

• The Fourteenth Finance Commission recommended establishing 1,800 Fast-Track Courts.

Purpose

To expedite trials involving:

• Murder;
• Kidnapping;
• Extortion;
• Property disputes pending for over five years.

The Commission also recommended dedicated courts for vulnerable groups such as:

• Women;
• Children;
• Senior citizens;
• Persons with Disabilities (PwDs);
• Terminally ill persons.

2. Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs) – 2019

• Following amendments to criminal laws and directions of the Supreme Court, the Government launched the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs) in 2019.
• These courts are partially funded through the Nirbhaya Fund.

FTSCs exclusively deal with:

• Rape cases;
• Cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The objective is to ensure time-bound disposal of sexual offence cases.

Timeline for Disposal of Cases

No Statutory Right to Speedy Trial

India does not provide litigants with a statutory right to complete criminal trials within a fixed period.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)

The BNSS provides indicative timelines:

• Criminal trials should ideally be completed within two years.
• Sexual offence cases should ideally be completed within two months.

These timelines serve as guiding principles rather than mandatory deadlines.

Performance Targets under FTSC Scheme

Each Fast-Track Special Court is expected to dispose of:

• 41–42 cases every quarter, or
• At least 165 cases annually.

These targets are intended to improve efficiency and reduce pendency.

Judicial Observations on Fast-Track Courts

1. State of West Bengal v. Anwar Ali Sarkar (1952)

The Supreme Court held that:

• Fast-Track or Special Courts must comply with Article 14 (Right to Equality).
• Cases cannot simply be transferred to special courts because they can be decided more quickly.

There must be reasonable and objective classification, such as:

• Nature of the offence;
• Vulnerability of victims;
• Public importance.

This ensures fairness and equality before law.

2. Later Judicial Developments

• The Supreme Court subsequently permitted constitution of Special Courts for matters involving exceptional public importance.

Examples include:

• Satyam Scam;
• 2G Spectrum Case.

These courts were established to facilitate expeditious trials in cases having significant public interest.

3. P. Ramachandra Rao v. State of Karnataka (2002)

A Seven-Judge Constitution Bench held that:

• There can be no universal fixed time limit for completion of criminal trials.
• Criminal proceedings cannot automatically terminate solely because of delay.

The Court observed that prescribing mandatory timelines would amount to judicial legislation, which falls outside judicial powers.

Present Status of Fast-Track Courts

Regular Fast-Track Courts

As of January 2026:

• 862 Regular Fast-Track Courts
• Functioning across 21 States and Union Territories.

Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSCs)

Operational across 29 States and Union Territories:

• 774 FTSCs
• Including 398 Exclusive POCSO Courts

These courts exclusively hear sexual offence cases.

Performance of Fast-Track Courts

Disposal Rate

• The disposal rate of FTSCs is approximately 96%, indicating that a large proportion of instituted cases are either decided or otherwise disposed of.

Cases During 2024

• New cases instituted: 88,902
• Cases disposed: 85,595

This reflects substantial judicial output.

Comparative Efficiency

On average:

• FTSCs dispose of about 9.5 cases per month
• Regular trial courts dispose of approximately 3 cases per month

Thus, FTSCs dispose of nearly three times more cases than ordinary courts of similar jurisdiction.

Significance of Fast-Track Courts

1. Speedy Justice

• Fast disposal reduces prolonged litigation and provides timely relief to victims.

2. Reduction in Judicial Pendency

• India faces one of the world’s largest judicial backlogs.
• FTCs help reduce the burden on regular courts.

3. Protection of Vulnerable Groups

Dedicated courts improve access to justice for:

• Women;
• Children;
• Elderly;
• Persons with disabilities.

4. Greater Public Confidence

• Timely justice strengthens citizens’ trust in judicial institutions.

5. Improved Criminal Justice System

Quick trials improve:

• Deterrence;
• Conviction efficiency;
• Rule of Law.

Issues and Challenges

• Despite these high clearance rates, the volume of litigation means pendency remains a persistent challenge. 
  • By the end of 2023, over 2.4 lakh cases were still pending in FTSCs.
• Judicial delaysare due to many reasons such as lack of infrastructure, complicated cases, poor investigation, weak forensic support, shortage of judges, and procedural inefficiencies.
• Legal experts say that Fast-Track Courts (FTCs) are not enough to solve the problem of judicial backlogunless they are supported by adequate infrastructure and judicial capacity.
• Though FTCs have been successful in some areas like Prevention of Corruption Act cases, their efficiency in handling POCSO and other criminal cases has been limited by the large number of cases and unavailability of exclusive judges.

Way Forward

• Fast-Track Courts should be strengthened through adequate infrastructure, sufficient judicial manpower and modern court management systems to ensure that they function effectively and sustainably. Vacancies in the judiciary need to be filled promptly, and dedicated judges should be appointed exclusively for Fast-Track Courts to avoid overburdening the regular judiciary.
• The quality of investigation must be improved by strengthening police capacity, adopting scientific investigation techniques and expanding forensic infrastructure, ensuring that trials are supported by credible evidence. Greater use of technology, including e-Courts, digital case management, virtual hearings and AI-enabled scheduling, can further reduce procedural delays and improve efficiency.
• Procedural reforms should focus on limiting unnecessary adjournments, ensuring timely witness examination and improving coordination among police, prosecution and the judiciary. Regular monitoring of court performance through measurable disposal targets and periodic evaluation can enhance accountability.
• At the same time, the pursuit of speedy justice should never compromise the principles of natural justice, fair trial and due process. Therefore, Fast-Track Courts must function as part of broader judicial and institutional reforms aimed at delivering justice that is not only swift but also fair, transparent and constitutionally sound.

Conclusion

Fast-Track Courts are an important institutional mechanism for reducing judicial delays and ensuring timely justice, particularly in cases involving heinous crimes, sexual offences, corruption and now paper leak cases. Their relatively higher disposal rates demonstrate their potential to improve judicial efficiency and reduce pendency.

However, Fast-Track Courts alone cannot resolve India’s judicial backlog. Their long-term success depends upon comprehensive reforms in judicial infrastructure, manpower, investigation quality, forensic capacity and procedural efficiency. A balanced approach that combines speed with fairness is essential to fulfil the constitutional promise of timely, effective and equitable justice.

GOVERNANCE

2. Human trafficking in India

Context: The Government of Odisha has proposed ‘Nutan Sakala’ (New Dawn), a comprehensive State policy to combat trafficking of women and girls through an integrated strategy focusing on prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership.

The policy aims to strengthen anti-trafficking measures from source areas to rehabilitation, making it one of the most comprehensive state-level initiatives against human trafficking.

About

• The framework is built on four pillars such as prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnershipto ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response.
• The policy proposes to prevent trafficking at the source, particularly in vulnerable communities, schools, panchayats, and digital spaces through life-skills education, demand-reduction initiatives and community-based tools such as village migration registers.
• Integrated Victim Support Centres (IVSCs)are to be established which will provide a single-window platform for medical care, legal aid, psychosocial counselling, and referral services.
• The Nutana Sakala Corpus Fundwill serve as a dedicated, non-lapsable financing mechanism to support anti-trafficking interventions and survivor rehabilitation.

Human trafficking in India

• India is a source as well as a destinationcountry for human trafficking. India recorded 10,659 cases of human trafficking between 2018 and 2022.
• The main source countries are Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmarfrom where women and girls are trafficked in the lure of a better life, jobs and good living conditions on this side.
• The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data and notifications from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) indicate that Odisha, Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Rajasthanregister the highest volume of human trafficking cases in India.

Reasons for Human Trafficking

• Poverty: Individuals and families living in poverty are more susceptible to the false promises of traffickers who offer better opportunities and livelihoods.
• Lack of Awareness:Low literacy levels and limited awareness make people, especially in rural areas, more vulnerable to deception and exploitation.
• Migration: Unregulated migration, both domestic and international, creates opportunities for traffickers to target individuals who are disconnected from their support networks.
• Inadequate training of law enforcement agencies, and corruption exacerbate the challenges of effectively addressing trafficking.

Constitutional Safeguards in India

• Article 23:Prohibits trafficking in human beings and forced labor.
• Article 21:Ensures the right to life and personal liberty, which has been interpreted to include the right to live with dignity.
• Article 39(e): The state should ensure that the health and strength of workers and children are not abused, and that citizens are not forced to take jobs that are not suitable for their age or strength.

Legal Safeguards in India 

• Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012:Protects children from sexual exploitation and abuse.
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Provides a framework for the protection, treatment, and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection.
• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Actwas amended in 2019 to enlarge the mandate of the Central agency to include human trafficking.
• The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA)is the premier legislation for prevention of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
• Criminal Law (amendment) Act 2013provides for comprehensive measures to counter the menace of human trafficking including trafficking of children for exploitation in any form.
• Section 143 to 146 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023provides penal provisions for various forms of trafficking in persons, habitual dealing in slaves and unlawful compulsory labour.
• UN Convention:India has ratified the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC) which has as one of its Protocols Prevention, Suppression and Punishment of Trafficking in Persons, particularly Women and Children.
• SAARC Convention: India has ratified the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.

Judicial Intervention

• The Supreme Court of India in the Prajwala vs. The Union of Indiacase framed a comprehensive Victim Protection Plan for survivors of trafficking for commercial and sexual exploitation (CSE).
• In the case of Vishal Jeet v. Union of India (1990),the Supreme Court of India recognized child prostitution and human trafficking as severe socio-economic evils and emphasized a preventive and highly humanistic approach to protect vulnerable women and children.

Way Forward

• India should adopt a victim-centric and multi-dimensional approach by strengthening the four pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership, as reflected in Odisha’s Nutan Sakala Preventive efforts should focus on vulnerable communities through awareness campaigns, life-skills education, safe migration practices and digital literacy to reduce the risk of trafficking at its source.
• Law enforcement agencies require specialised training, improved coordination and the use of technology to dismantle organised trafficking networks and ensure higher conviction rates. Fast investigation, effective prosecution and victim-sensitive judicial processes are essential for delivering timely justice.
• The establishment of Integrated Victim Support Centres (IVSCs) should be expanded across the country to provide comprehensive rehabilitation through medical care, legal aid, psychological counselling, skill development and livelihood support. Dedicated funding mechanisms, similar to the proposed Nutan Sakala Corpus Fund, can ensure sustained rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors.
• Greater collaboration among governments, civil society organisations, Panchayati Raj Institutions, community groups and international agencies should be encouraged to combat both domestic and cross-border trafficking. Strengthening data sharing, interstate coordination and regional cooperation under international frameworks such as UNCTOC and the SAARC Convention will further enhance India’s anti-trafficking efforts.

Conclusion

Human trafficking is one of the gravest violations of human rights, undermining human dignity, constitutional values and sustainable development. As both a source and destination country, India faces complex trafficking challenges driven by poverty, migration, organised crime and social vulnerability.

While constitutional safeguards, legislative measures and judicial interventions have strengthened the legal framework, effective implementation remains the key challenge. Initiatives such as Odisha’s Nutan Sakala policy demonstrate the importance of an integrated, survivor-centric approach combining prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership. Strengthening institutions, improving rehabilitation and enhancing community participation will be essential to achieving a trafficking-free and rights-based society.

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