Tamil Nadu to set up 26 new POCSO courts at ₹46.59 crore, plus 4 NDPS courts
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu is more than doubling its POCSO court strength — from 22 functioning courts today to a planned 52 — at a cost of ₹46.59 crore, after Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay chaired a review of the state's mounting child sexual abuse case backlog. Four new NDPS courts add a parallel push on narcotics trials.
Key Takeaways
Tamil Nadu has sanctioned 26 additional POCSO courts at a cost of ₹46.59 crore , following a review chaired by Chief Minister C.
The state currently has 22 functioning POCSO courts ; with the new sanction, the planned total rises to 52 courts across 47 police districts .
The latest tranche includes 12 new special courts and 14 additional special courts .
Four new NDPS courts will be set up in Kancheepuram , Tiruvallur , Vellore , and Chennai , adding to the existing 11 NDPS courts .
Both decisions are part of wider state efforts to clear case backlogs and accelerate justice delivery for victims of child abuse and drug-related offences.
The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned the establishment of 26 additional special courts exclusively to try cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, in a move aimed at clearing the backlog of child sexual abuse cases and delivering faster justice to victims. The courts will be set up at a cost of ₹46.59 crore, according to an official statement released on 1 November 2026.
Separately, the state has also approved four new special courts to handle cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, as part of its ongoing 'Drug-Free Tamil Nadu' campaign.
Why the Expansion Was Ordered
The decision followed a review of pending cases across the state, chaired by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. During the meeting, Vijay assessed the status of trials and evaluated the requirement for dedicated courts to hear child sexual abuse offences. He reportedly directed officials to take immediate steps to set up POCSO courts across all districts, accelerate investigations, and ensure that those found guilty face punishment in accordance with the law.
Tamil Nadu currently has 22 functioning special POCSO courts, with four more already set to become operational. The latest sanction — comprising 12 new special courts and 14 additional special courts — will take the planned statewide total to 52 courts. These courts will serve the state's 47 police districts and will hear only cases registered under the POCSO Act.
Scale of the POCSO Court Network
The expansion represents a significant scaling-up of judicial infrastructure dedicated to child protection. More than doubling the existing court strength signals recognition that the current capacity is insufficient to meet the volume of cases registered under the Act. According to the official statement, the expansion is expected to address case backlogs, facilitate faster trials, and strengthen deterrence against such offences.
The government noted that it has been pursuing multiple initiatives to combat crimes against women and children, ensure prompt legal action against offenders, and deliver justice within a reasonable timeframe.
New NDPS Courts and the Anti-Drug Push
The four new NDPS courts will be distributed across key districts: one each in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Vellore, while Chennai will receive one additional special court. Tamil Nadu currently has 11 special NDPS courts in operation.
The fresh sanction is intended to accelerate the trial and disposal of pending drug cases and to bolster judicial proceedings under the state's wider anti-narcotics drive. Officials indicated that the additions reflect the growing volume of NDPS cases requiring dedicated judicial attention.
What This Means for Tamil Nadu's Justice System
Taken together, the two decisions will substantially expand Tamil Nadu's specialised court capacity — from child sexual abuse cases to narcotics trafficking — at a time when the state has been under pressure to demonstrate faster resolution of sensitive criminal matters. The combined outlay and structural changes reflect a broader push to reduce pendency and signal accountability, though the speed of actual court operationalisation and staffing will determine real-world outcomes. Whether the expanded infrastructure translates into measurably faster verdicts remains to be seen.
Point of View
Prosecutors, and support personnel within a credible timeframe is where state-level judicial expansions historically stumble. Tamil Nadu's POCSO backlog reflects a national pattern: case registration has outpaced adjudication capacity for years, and past court-creation announcements have not always translated into operational benches on schedule. The NDPS expansion, tied to the 'Drug-Free Tamil Nadu' branding, also deserves scrutiny: narcotics conviction rates in India remain low partly because investigative quality and prosecution capacity lag behind court numbers. The real measure of this announcement will be average trial duration two years from now — not the sanction order today.
NationPress
1 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many new POCSO courts has Tamil Nadu sanctioned?
Tamil Nadu has sanctioned 26 additional special POCSO courts , comprising 12 new special courts and 14 additional special courts. Combined with the 22 already functioning and 4 set to open, the planned statewide total will reach 52 courts across 47 police districts.
How much will the new POCSO courts cost?
The 26 new POCSO courts will be established at a total cost of ₹46.59 crore , as approved by the Tamil Nadu government following Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's review of pending cases.
Why did Tamil Nadu decide to expand its POCSO court network?
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay chaired a review of POCSO cases pending across the state and directed officials to establish courts in all districts, accelerate investigations, and ensure timely punishment for offenders. The expansion is aimed at addressing case backlogs and delivering faster justice to victims.
Where will the new NDPS courts be located in Tamil Nadu?
The four new NDPS special courts will be set up one each in Kancheepuram , Tiruvallur , and Vellore , with one additional court in Chennai . They are part of the state's 'Drug-Free Tamil Nadu' initiative and will supplement the existing 11 NDPS courts.
What is the POCSO Act?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 is a central legislation that defines and criminalises sexual offences against persons below 18 years of age and mandates time-bound trials through designated special courts. Tamil Nadu's expansion is intended to bring dedicated judicial capacity to every police district in the state.
