No need to set up fast-track courts: Bahuguna

With only 540 cases, of crime against women, pending in different courts in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Sunday said there was no need to set up fast-track courts in the hill state.

The decision came in the wake of the Delhi gang rape case, following which a need was felt to set up fast-track courts in the state. Bahuguna had last week stated that the government wanted to set up fast-track courts in four districts to speed up the trail of cases related to crime against women.

“There are only 540 cases pertaining to crime against women. After holding consultations with the high court Chief Justice (Barin Ghosh), we have come to a conclusion that there is no need to set up fast-track courts in the state considering the fewer number of such cases,” said Bahuguna.

Bahuguna said the chief justice was of the view that these cases can be speeded up on day-to-day basis. The high court has agreed to clear such cases by organising special courts on every Friday. Similarly, the lower courts have also been advised to clear these cases on a top-priority basis. “In this way, these cases will be cleared very fast,” said Bahuguna.

In order to check the crime against women, the government has also announced to set up a separate cell headed by a senior woman police officer in the premises of the police headquarters to look into cases of harassment of women. A toll-free number has also been launched to register complaints made by women. Any woman can get an FIR lodged by contacting the police on the phone.