Tamil Nadu to set up 26 POCSO Act courts and four NDPS courts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has ordered the establishment of 26 courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and four courts under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, to expedite the trial of cases registered under these laws.

A State government press release issued on Sunday (November 1, 2026) said during a review meeting on cases registered under the POCSO Act, the Chief Minister had stressed the need to ensure justice for victims by speeding up trials. He had also sought details on the need for additional courts. Accordingly, the government had decided to establish more courts.

Already, 22 courts dealing with POCSO Act cases and four special courts will start functioning soon. The government said the Chief Minister had ordered the establishment of 12 special courts and 14 additional courts at a cost of ₹46.59 crore, taking into account the volume of cases registered under the Act.

With the addition of these courts, there will be 52 special courts across 47 police districts. They are expected to expedite the delivery of justice and help prevent the recurrence of sexual offences against children, the government said.

The release said, 11 special courts were already functioning to deal with cases registered under the NDPS Act. Four more courts will be established, one each in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore, and an additional court in Chennai.