Public Awareness & General Administration
Fast Track Special Courts Scheme
▪ The extension of the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) Scheme till March 2026 aims to ensure speedy and time-bound justice in cases of rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
▪ The Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) Scheme was initially launched for one year and later extended until March 2023. In 2023 further extended the Scheme for three more years, from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2026.
✓ In 2019, the Supreme Court ordered fast disposal of POCSO cases, prompting the launch of the FTSC Scheme on 2nd October, 2019.
▪ It is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Law & Justice that aims to establish FTSCs under the Nirbhaya Fund.
▪ The Centre contributes 60%, and States 40%, except for Northeastern, Sikkim, and hilly states, where it’s 90:10.
▪ UTs with legislatures follow a 60:40 ratio, while those without legislature get full central
funding.
▪ FTSCs boast a 96.28% disposal rate in 2024, and over 3 lakh cases have been disposed of collectively by FTSCs since its launch.
▪ Maharashtra and Punjab have high case disposal rates, while West Bengal has the lowest leading to disparities in justice delivery.
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)
▪ The Union Home Ministry is reviewing AFSPA coverage in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam after recent ethnic and law-and-order disturbances.
About AFSPA
▪ It is a law that empowers the armed forces to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”
▪ Enacted in 1958, it allows armed forces to act with special authority in regions with severe unrest.
▪ The Governor of a State, or the Central Government, can declare any area as ‘disturbed’.
▪ The notification is reviewed every six months, with the possibility of extension or withdrawal
▪ States Under AFSPA (As of February 2025): Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Jammu and Kashmir
