CJI Surya Kant Inaugurates Special Courts For UAPA, NDPS Cases And Fast-Track Court For NEET Paper Leak Cases In Delhi

Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, on Monday inaugurated Special Courts established at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Courts to try cases registered under UAPA, MCOCA, NDPS Act as well as a fast track court for cases concerning NEET-UG paper leak.

The Special Courts have been set up by the Delhi High Court at Rouse Avenue Court Complex pursuant to the directions of the Supreme Court in “In Re: Creation of Special Exclusive Courts”.

The new courts were inaugurated in the presence of Delhi High Court Chief Justice, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, and other judges- Justice Jyoti Singh, Justice Om Prakash Shukla, Justice Om Ajay Digpaul and Justice Vimal Kumar Yadav- all being members of the Portfolio Judges' Committee of Rouse Avenue Court Complex.

The function was also attended by other judges of the Delhi High Court.

The special courts have been set up to ensure speedy and time bound trial in cases registered under the NI Act, UAPA, MCOC Act and NDPS Act.

At present, there would be 6 Courts dealing with matters under NI Act and UAPA, 3 Courts for MCOC Act cases and 4 Courts dealing with NDPS Act matters.

One specially designated Fast Track Court has been set up to try offences under Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and connected offences.

In his address, CJI said that the special courts will strengthen access to justice by ensuring specialised, continuous and timely adjudication of complex criminal cases under UAPA, NI Act, NDPS Act and MCOCA.

He said that while access to justice is often understood as the ability to approach a court, it becomes meaningful only when cases are decided within a reasonable timeframe by courts equipped to deal with their complexity.

“Timely adjudication is therefore not simply an administrative objective; it is an indispensable component of justice itself,” he said.

Justice Kant described Delhi as the “nation's laboratory for judicial innovation”, observing that many reforms in court administration and technology had originated in the capital before being replicated across the country. 

He said the establishment of the Special Exclusive Courts reflected the philosophy of creating “the right forum for the right case” and recognised that meaningful access to justice depended upon a system capable of deciding complex matters with competence, continuity and within a reasonable time. 

CJI emphasised that the success of these courts would depend not merely on infrastructure but on the collective efforts of all stakeholders in the criminal justice system, including judges, investigating agencies, prosecutors, members of the Bar and court staff. 

“If these Courts demonstrate effective models of case management, judicial specialisation, and timely adjudication, they can serve as templates capable of being adapted and replicated wherever similar needs arise,” he said.