JOIN USThere is no proposal for setting up special courts for the trial of rape cases, Home Minister P Chidambaram informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
However, he said it had been suggested to states to deploy the best officers to investigate such cases efficiently.
Replying to a question, he said, “at present, there is no proposal under consideration.”
He was asked if the government proposes to set up special courts to ensure speedy trials and expeditious relief and rehabilitation of rape victims and victims of injuries like burns and acid attacks.
He said though police is a state subject, the Centre was "impressing" upon states to depute best officers to probe such cases.
He admitted that there are delays in medical and forensic examination in some cases, but hoped that police would probe these cases seriously.
The home minister said crime against women is a state subject, but the Union government gives prime importance to prevention and control of crime against women.
He said the home ministry had sent a detailed advisory in September 2009 on crimes against women to all state governments and Union Territories to adopt appropriate measures for swift and salutary punishment of the guilty and set up fast track courts and family courts. In reply to a query on declining conviction rate in rape cases, he said it depends on the nature of evidence and efficiency of prosecution besides other factors.