Open problems · Courts & judiciary
Rape trials that take years
At the end of 2023, 89.7% of rape cases in court were still waiting for their trial to finish.
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What we know
NCRB's Crime in India 2023 counted 1,82,163 rape cases pending trial at the end of the year.
Since October 2019 the Centre has part-funded Fast Track Special Courts for rape and POCSO cases. By November 2026, 779 of them were working in 29 states and UTs, 399 of them exclusive POCSO courts, and together they had decided 4,02,457 cases. On 4 November 2026 the Union Cabinet extended the scheme to March 2031 with ₹3,788.04 crore (₹2,353.15 crore from the Centre's Nirbhaya Fund) and plans to raise the number of courts to 850, each with its own judge, special public prosecutor and six staff.
Open questions
- How many fast-track and special courts for these cases exist in your state, and how many cases does each decide a year?
- How long does a rape trial take in your district, from charge sheet to verdict?
- What support does a survivor get while the trial goes on?
- Which districts will get the 71 new courts, and will they go where the most cases are waiting?
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