Created in 2017, 4 fast track courts yet to be made functional
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 21: Lending credence to the general opinion that crime against women is on the rise in Jammu and Kashmir, official statistics reveals that at least one rape is committed every day in the State. However, the rate of disposal of such cases by the courts is not up to the desired level as a result of which over 2200 cases are pending mostly in the Kashmir valley.
Astonishingly, four additional fast track courts created nearly seven months back to deal exclusively with the cases of violence and other offences against womenfolk have yet not been made functional due to the shortage of Judges.
As per the official data managed by EXCELSIOR, a total of 465 rape cases were registered in different police stations across the State in 2017-18, which means one rape was committed every day and womenfolk is not safe in this State like in other parts of the country. These figures have also put a question mark on the performance of Jammu and Kashmir vis-à-vis tackling rising crime against the fairer sex, which otherwise has become a hot debate these days.
Against registration of 465 rape cases in one year, only 361 such cases were disposed by the courts in the State during 2017-18. Due to this, there was addition of over 100 cases in the list of cases pending for disposal in different courts.
The statistics further reveals that a total of 2210 rape cases were pending for disposal in the courts as on April 1, 2018. The maximum rape cases are pending in Kupwara (332) followed by Baramulla where number of such cases is 306. Budgam is at third place where the number of pending rape cases is 252.
A total of 167 rape cases are pending for disposal in Anantnag while as 148 cases are pending in Kulgam. Similarly, 125 cases are pending in Srinagar, 122 in Rajouri and 106 in Jammu. A total of 77 cases are pending in Udhampur, 49 in Reasi, 20 in Kishtwar, 69 in Bhaderwah, 61 in Ramban, 43 in Poonch, 30 in Samba, 40 in Kathua, 70 in Pulwama, 58 in Shopian, 41 in Ganderbal and 85 in Bandipora.
Leh and Kargil are the only districts in the State where there is no fear among the womenfolk. As crime against women in these two districts takes place very rarely only 3 rape cases are pending for disposal in Kargil and six in Leh.
While over 2200 rape cases are pending for disposal in different courts across the State, no seriousness has been shown towards making operational four fast track courts which were created last year to exclusively deal with the cases of violence and other offences against womenfolk, sources informed.
The necessity to establish fast track courts to expeditiously dispose of cases involving different offences against women was felt across the country following dastardly gang-rape of a 23 year old girl in a moving bus in national capital in December 2012 and accordingly Supreme Court had issued explicit directions in this regard to all the States.
While several States in the country acted promptly on the directions of Apex Court, J&K maintained slack approach despite being aware of the fact that offences against women were increasing continuously.
After dilly-dallying approach of several years, the State Cabinet vide Decision No.191/12/2017 dated October 23, 2017 accorded sanction to the creation and establishment of four fast track courts of District and Sessions Judges-two each in Kashmir and Jammu regions along with the supporting staff for ensuring expeditious disposal of cases involving crime against women.
However, these courts have not been made operational till date despite identification of their location by the High Court, sources said, adding “shortage of District and Sessions Judges is creating impediments in translating the decision of State Cabinet into reality”.
“To make these courts functional the High Court will have to either make promotion of Sub-Judges or resort to direct recruitment by conducting competitive examination and hectic deliberations are going on at the relevant quarters in the High Court in this regard”, sources informed.
Sources, however, stressed that keeping in view pendency of the cases High Court should complete the process of making these four fast track courts functional as early as possible.
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