Patna HC sets up 3 fast-track courts for Bihar exam paper leak cases
Synopsis
The Patna High Court has ordered three dedicated fast-track courts — in Patna, Lakhisarai, and Purnea — to hear Bihar's mounting examination fraud cases, with a hard three-month deadline for judgments after chargesheet filing. It is one of the first state-level judicial infrastructure moves under the Centre's Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and comes as students remain in custody amid nationwide paper leak protests.
Key Takeaways
Patna High Court on 28 July ordered three special fast-track courts for Bihar exam fraud cases.
Courts will be set up in Patna , Lakhisarai , and Purnea , each headed by a District Judge -rank officer.
Designated presiding officers: Gaurav Singh (Patna), Seema Bharatiya (Lakhisarai), Thakur Aman Kumar (Purnea).
Trials must be conducted on a day-to-day basis and concluded within three months of chargesheet filing.
Cases will be registered under the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 .
Courts will become operational once the Bihar government issues the required formal notification.
The Patna High Court on Tuesday, 28 July ordered the establishment of three special fast-track courts to exclusively hear cases of examination fraud, paper leaks, cheating, and use of unfair means in public examinations across Bihar. The courts will operate under the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, with a mandate to conclude trials within three months of chargesheet filing.
Where the Courts Will Be Set Up
The three special courts will be located in Patna, Lakhisarai, and Purnea — covering different geographic zones of the state. Each court will be presided over by a judicial officer of at least District Judge or Additional District and Sessions Judge rank.
The High Court has already designated officers for each bench: Gaurav Singh will preside in Patna, Seema Bharatiya will lead the Lakhisarai court, and Thakur Aman Kumar will oversee the Purnea court. The courts will become operational once the Bihar government issues the required notification for their formal establishment and the appointment of the designated officers.
How the Courts Will Function
Once a chargesheet is filed in any examination malpractice case, hearings are to be conducted on a day-to-day basis. The High Court's directive sets a target of delivering judgments within three months — a sharp departure from the years-long pendency that characterises ordinary sessions court proceedings.
Cases covered include paper leaks, impersonation, cheating, and other examination-related offences registered under the 2024 Act. The fast-track mechanism is intended to serve a dual purpose: ensuring swift punishment for those found guilty while also providing faster relief to individuals who may have been falsely implicated.
The Backdrop: Nationwide Exam Fraud Outrage
The decision comes amid sustained nationwide protests over examination paper leaks, which have roiled public confidence in competitive recruitment and academic assessments. A significant number of students remain in judicial custody across Bihar in connection with such cases, with their families awaiting resolution.
Notably, the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was enacted at the Centre level precisely to address the growing menace of organised paper leak networks. Bihar's fast-track court initiative represents one of the first concrete judicial infrastructure responses to the legislation at the state level.
What Happens Next
The Bihar government has been directed to issue the enabling notification at the earliest. Legal observers expect the courts to begin functioning within weeks of the notification, given that judicial officers have already been identified. The move is likely to be watched closely by other high courts grappling with similar backlogs of examination fraud cases.
Point of View
Often hamstrung by staff shortages and evidence backlogs. The Bihar government's speed in issuing the enabling notification will signal whether this is a genuine reform or a headline response to political pressure. With students still in custody and families in distress, the clock is already running.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Patna High Court set up fast-track courts for exam paper leak cases?
The Patna High Court established three fast-track courts to prevent examination fraud cases from languishing in the system for years. The courts are designed to ensure day-to-day hearings and deliver judgments within three months of chargesheet filing, addressing both swift punishment and faster relief for those falsely implicated.
Where will the three special fast-track courts be located in Bihar?
The courts will be set up in Patna, Lakhisarai, and Purnea. Gaurav Singh will preside in Patna, Seema Bharatiya in Lakhisarai, and Thakur Aman Kumar in Purnea.
Which law governs the cases these courts will hear?
The courts will exclusively hear cases registered under the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, a central legislation enacted to combat organised paper leak networks and examination malpractice.
When will the fast-track courts become operational?
The courts will become operational once the Bihar government issues the required formal notification for their establishment and the appointment of the designated judicial officers. The High Court has directed the government to issue this notification at the earliest.
How does this relate to the nationwide paper leak protests?
The decision comes amid widespread protests across India over examination paper leaks, with a large number of students in Bihar currently in judicial custody in connection with such cases. The fast-track courts are intended to resolve these cases more quickly, providing relief to both victims of fraud and those wrongly accused.
