Examine necessity of establishing special courts under corruption Act: HC
Madurai : State government, in consultation with the high court, shall examine the necessity of establishing exclusive special courts under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in districts where exclusive special courts are not functioning, Madras high has directed. The judge observed that the pendency of 2,423 cases throughout the state, as on June 30, 2026, cannot be viewed as an ordinary workload to be dealt with as an additional responsibility by the principal district and sessions judges. The principal district and sessions judges/sessions judges dealing with cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act shall give due priority to such cases and make every endeavour to conduct the trials on a day-to-day basis, as far as practicable, and conclude them within the period contemplated under Section 4(4) of the Act, the judge directed.
The director of vigilance and anti-corruption, in coordination with the director of prosecution, shall ensure that adequate personnel are made available to the existing special courts and any additional special courts that may be designated, so that the trials are not delayed for want of prosecuting officers. Justice B Pugalendhi observed that it is brought to the notice of the court that exclusive special courts for trial of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act have been constituted only in eight districts in the state. In the remaining districts, cases are being dealt with by the jurisdictional principal district and sessions judges/sessions judges. The court was also of the view that the basis on which exclusive special courts under the Prevention of Corruption Act had been constituted only in certain districts and not in others, and the criteria adopted for such a constitution, required examination. This is a welcome step and the proposal deserves to be considered expeditiously, keeping in view the statutory mandate and the existing pendency, the judge observed. The state shall extend all necessary cooperation to the high court administration in providing the required infrastructure, supporting staff and other facilities for the effective functioning of the existing and any additionally designated special courts.
The registrar general has also brought to the notice of the court that a proposal is pending before the high court, on the administrative side, for designating additional sessions courts as special courts under the Prevention of Corruption Act, instead of entrusting such cases to the principal sessions courts. Hence, the judge directed the registrar general to follow up on the proposal already pending before the committee concerned for designating additional sessions courts, in addition to the sessions court, as special courts under the Prevention of Corruption Act.