Tamil Nadu Government to Establish 30 New Courts for Swift Justice in POCSO and NDPS Cases

Chennai, November 1 (Daily Kiran) : The Tamil Nadu government is taking significant steps to enhance legal action against crimes targeting women and children. On November 1, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay convened a meeting to review the status of pending POCSO cases across the state. He sought detailed information on the cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and the need for additional courts to expedite their hearings.

Following the review, the Chief Minister instructed officials to expedite the hearings of these cases, ensuring that offenders face justice promptly. Currently, there are 22 special courts operational in the state for POCSO cases, with four more set to launch soon. In response to the backlog, the government has issued orders to establish 26 new special courts—12 new and 14 additional—at a cost of ₹46.59 crore.

This initiative will result in a total of 52 special courts operating across Tamil Nadu’s 47 police districts, aimed at facilitating quicker hearings under the POCSO Act. The move is expected to provide timely justice to victims and impose stringent penalties on offenders, thereby deterring future heinous crimes.

In addition, the Tamil Nadu government is also advancing its “Drug-Free Tamil Nadu” campaign to combat drug trafficking and abuse. Efforts are underway to expedite legal proceedings for cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Currently, 11 special courts are addressing NDPS cases. In light of the urgent need to resolve pending cases, the Chief Minister has ordered the establishment of four new special courts—one each in Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Vellore, along with an additional court in Chennai. This initiative will bolster judicial processes and contribute to the ongoing goal of achieving a drug-free Tamil Nadu.