Fast-Track Courts Need Stronger Systems to Deliver Justice

Fast-track courts are meant to finish important cases more quickly.

India first created them in 2000 to reduce a very large number of pending cases.

Special fast-track courts were later created for rape and child sexual-offence cases.

Governments often promise these courts after people become angry about a crime or scandal.

These courts have completed many cases, but many more are still waiting.

Courts cannot work quickly if police investigations and forensic tests are slow.

Prosecutors, judges and court staff may also be overworked or shared between courts.

Some special-court cases have been waiting since 2018 or earlier.

The editorial says the whole justice system must be improved, not just the number of courtrooms.