CHENNAI: Minister for Energy and Law CTR Nirmal Kumar announced in the Assembly on Friday that the state government will establish three new special courts for the exclusive trial of Pocso cases, in addition to 14 additional special courts in districts with high pendency of cases, bringing the total number of new Pocso courts to 17.
The move assumes significance as TN police, in a recent submission before the High Court, said that 18,518 Pocso cases were pending trial, with 10,202 pending for over a year. It noted that 20 districts lacked sanctioned special courts exclusively for Pocso cases.
The 14 additional courts will come up in Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kallakurichi, Kanniyakumari, Krishnagiri, Salem, Tiruvallur, and Tirunelveli, besides two in Madurai, at a total cost of Rs 25.3 crore. The three new Pocso courts in Ariyalur, Perambalur, and Pudukkottai will cost Rs 5.41 crore.
Three Special Courts will be established in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Vellore, and another in Chennai, for the exclusive trial of NDPS Act cases at Rs 6.73 crore. An SC/ST (PoA) Act Special Court will come up in Erode at Rs 1.93 crore.
An Additional District Court will be established at Perundurai, while subordinate courts will come up at Sholinghur, Natham, and Gummidipoondi. A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal will be set up at Gingee, while combined court complexes will be build at Nilakottai and Pappireddipatti. Elevators will be installed in 23 existing court buildings at Rs 16.28 crore.
The government will constitute a State Advisory Board on crimes against women and children and psychotropic drug abuse. An AI-powered Legal Repository Portal will provide public access to state laws, bills, ordinances, and gazettes. LLM courses will be introduced at four government law colleges from 2026-27. “A new Government Law College will also come up in Madurai,” Nirmal Kumar said.