The government on Wednesday said that there are over 2.4 lakh pending cases in courts related to rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across the country till December last year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-strengthens-pocso-act-approves-death-penalty-for-aggravated-sexual-assault-against-minors-187017">Government strengthens POCSO Act, approves death penalty for aggravated sexual assault against minors</a>

According to a written reply in Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states with 66,994 pending rape cases followed by Maharashtra with 21,691 and 20,511 in West Bengal.

"As per information received from High Courts, the status of pending cases related to rape and POCSO Act, as on December 31, 2019, is 2,44,001," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed the Lower House in response to a query by Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh.

OPINION:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/india-rape-crisis-are-we-part-of-the-problem-267388">India rape crisis: Are we part of the problem?</a>

In furtherance to, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, a scheme was finalized for setting up of 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country for expeditious trial and disposal of pending cases related to Rape and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, in a time-bound manner under Centrally-Sponsored Scheme.

So far, the Central's share of funds amounting to Rs 99.43 crore has been released during 2019-20 to 27 States/UTs which have so far consented to set up of 649 number of FTSCs.

"As per information received from High Courts, 195 FTSCs have already been set up till January 31, 2020," the Ministry said. Surprisingly, not even a single FTSCs have been set up in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal where the maximum number of rape cases are pending.

According to proposed FTSCs, the&nbsp;maximum number of 218 courts will be in Uttar Pradesh, 138 in Maharashtra and 123 in West Bengal.

Andhra Pradesh will have 18, Telangana 36, Andaman and Nicobar Island 01, Arunachal Pradesh 03, Assam 27, Bihar 54, Chandigarh 01, Chhattisgarh 15, Goa 02, Gujrat 35, Haryana 16, Himachal Pradesh 06, Jammu &amp; Kashmir 04, Jharkhand 22, Karnataka 31, Kerala 56, Madhya Pradesh 67, Manipur 02, Meghalaya 05, Mizoram 03, Nagaland 01, NCT of Delhi 16, Odisha 45, Punjab 12, Rajasthan 45, Tamil Nadu 14, Tripura 03 and Uttarakhand 04 FTSCs.

In its reply, the minister said as per the scheme of FTSCs, each such Court is expected to dispose of 165 cases in a year for which States/UTs governments have been kept informed.

Among 195 Fast Track Special Courts functional and established for Women and Girl children under the Scheme of FTSCs till January 2020, 56 are in Madhya Pradesh, 15 are in Chhattisgarh, 16 in Delhi, three in Tripura, 22 in Jharkhand, 26 in Rajasthan, nine in Telangana, 34 in Gujarat and 14 in Tamil Nadu.

The government on Wednesday said that there are over 2.4 lakh pending cases in courts related to rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across the country till December last year.

The government on Wednesday said that there are over 2.4 lakh pending cases in courts related to rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across the country till December last year. Also read: Government strengthens POCSO Act, approves death penalty for aggravated sexual assault against minors According to a written reply in Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states with 66,994 pending rape cases followed by Maharashtra with 21,691 and 20,511 in West Bengal. "As per information received from High Courts, the status of pending cases related to rape and POCSO Act, as on December 31, 2019, is 2,44,001," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed the Lower House in response to a query by Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh. OPINION: India rape crisis: Are we part of the problem? In furtherance to, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, a scheme was finalized for setting up of 1,023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country for expeditious trial and disposal of pending cases related to Rape and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, in a time-bound manner under Centrally-Sponsored Scheme. So far, the Central's share of funds amounting to Rs 99.43 crore has been released during 2019-20 to 27 States/UTs which have so far consented to set up of 649 number of FTSCs. "As per information received from High Courts, 195 FTSCs have already been set up till January 31, 2020," the Ministry said. Surprisingly, not even a single FTSCs have been set up in states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal where the maximum number of rape cases are pending. According to proposed FTSCs, the maximum number of 218 courts will be in Uttar Pradesh, 138 in Maharashtra and 123 in West Bengal. Andhra Pradesh will have 18, Telangana 36, Andaman and Nicobar Island 01, Arunachal Pradesh 03, Assam 27, Bihar 54, Chandigarh 01, Chhattisgarh 15, Goa 02, Gujrat 35, Haryana 16, Himachal Pradesh 06, Jammu & Kashmir 04, Jharkhand 22, Karnataka 31, Kerala 56, Madhya Pradesh 67, Manipur 02, Meghalaya 05, Mizoram 03, Nagaland 01, NCT of Delhi 16, Odisha 45, Punjab 12, Rajasthan 45, Tamil Nadu 14, Tripura 03 and Uttarakhand 04 FTSCs. In its reply, the minister said as per the scheme of FTSCs, each such Court is expected to dispose of 165 cases in a year for which States/UTs governments have been kept informed. Among 195 Fast Track Special Courts functional and established for Women and Girl children under the Scheme of FTSCs till January 2020, 56 are in Madhya Pradesh, 15 are in Chhattisgarh, 16 in Delhi, three in Tripura, 22 in Jharkhand, 26 in Rajasthan, nine in Telangana, 34 in Gujarat and 14 in Tamil Nadu.

Over 2.4 lakh cases relating to rape and POCSO pending in courts across country, says Government

The government has agreed to send the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 -- or the triple talaq bill -- to a select committee, news reports said Thursday.&nbsp;

The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last Thursday.

It was tabled yesterday in the Rajya Sabha but did not go through after a united opposition insisted that it be sent to a select committee.&nbsp;

The Congress, while maintaining that it supports the abolition of triple talaq, has been insisting that the bill be sent to a select committee so that&nbsp;any lacunae in it can be better understood.&nbsp;

A number of BJP allies and parties friendly to it have been asking for the same thing.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-tables-triple-talaq-in-lok-sabha-27946" target="_blank">Law about justice for women, not religion, says government as it tables triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha</a>

The main point of contention over the bill is the jail term included in it.&nbsp;

The opposition says the bill turns a civil issue into a criminal one by recommending a jail term extending up to three years for people who continue to use the practice. They add that a man who has been sent to jail cannot provide for his family.&nbsp;

The practice of triple talaq, which allows a man to divorce his wife by saying the word &quot;talaq&quot; (divorce) three times,&nbsp;was recently struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

The BJP has accused the Congress, which did not oppose the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha, of playing politics over the bill.&nbsp;

The Congress has accused the BJP of trying to win brownie points over the bill. The bill they say truly needs to help Muslim women, not just be a rubber stamp.&nbsp;

They add that by criminalising triple talaq, and including a jail term, there is the fear that a future law might be misused.&nbsp;

The BJP had so far been saying it was hopeful the bill would be passed but it just did not have the numbers in the Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;

The bill can now only be passed in the next session of parliament, since the winter session of Parliament ends tomorrow.&nbsp;

The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last Thursday.

The government has agreed to send the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 -- or the triple talaq bill -- to a select committee, news reports said Thursday. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last Thursday. It was tabled yesterday in the Rajya Sabha but did not go through after a united opposition insisted that it be sent to a select committee. The Congress, while maintaining that it supports the abolition of triple talaq, has been insisting that the bill be sent to a select committee so that any lacunae in it can be better understood. A number of BJP allies and parties friendly to it have been asking for the same thing. Also read: Law about justice for women, not religion, says government as it tables triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha The main point of contention over the bill is the jail term included in it. The opposition says the bill turns a civil issue into a criminal one by recommending a jail term extending up to three years for people who continue to use the practice. They add that a man who has been sent to jail cannot provide for his family. The practice of triple talaq, which allows a man to divorce his wife by saying the word "talaq" (divorce) three times, was recently struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The BJP has accused the Congress, which did not oppose the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha, of playing politics over the bill. The Congress has accused the BJP of trying to win brownie points over the bill. The bill they say truly needs to help Muslim women, not just be a rubber stamp. They add that by criminalising triple talaq, and including a jail term, there is the fear that a future law might be misused. The BJP had so far been saying it was hopeful the bill would be passed but it just did not have the numbers in the Rajya Sabha. The bill can now only be passed in the next session of parliament, since the winter session of Parliament ends tomorrow.

Government agrees to send triple talaq bill to select committee: Reports

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Over 2.4 lakh cases relating to rape and POCSO pending in courts across country, says Government

Government agrees to send triple talaq bill to select committee: Reports