The Supreme Court has asked 17 states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, to set up special NIA courts for pending anti-terror cases, with the Centre providing Rs 1 crore for each court. Delhi leads with 59 cases, and 16 courts at Rouse Avenue in Delhi will be ready by April 2026
“A delay in trial leads to injustice,” says SC as it seeks state responses. File Pic
The Supreme Court has asked 17 states, including Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, to respond on the setting up of special NIA courts in places where 10 or more anti-terror cases are pending, reported the PTI.
The move comes as part of the Centre’s effort to ensure faster trials and timely justice in sensitive cases.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria, directed the chief secretaries of the 17 states to reply within three weeks. The court underlined the importance of speedy trials, saying, “a delay in trial leads to injustice if an accused is acquitted after a prolonged trial,” as per the PTI.
Centre’s plan and funding details
The Ministry of Home Affairs has finalized norms to provide financial support for these special courts. Each court will receive a one-time grant of Rs one crore for non-recurring expenses and Rs one crore per year for recurring costs, which will cover infrastructure renovation, IT equipment, vehicles, and staff salaries.
The Ministry also revealed that 16 special courts are being set up at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court Complex, dedicated to statutes like the NIA Act, UAPA, and NDPS. These courts are expected to be operational by April 2026, with judicial officers from the Delhi Higher Judicial Service ready to preside over them, according to the PTI.
Existing NIA courts in states
Some states have already moved ahead. In Bihar, the court of the District and Additional Sessions Judge-XV in Patna was officially designated as an exclusive NIA court on January 8, 2026. Exclusive courts are also functioning in Jammu and Ranchi, while Maharashtra’s Court of Sessions at the City Civil Court in Bombay has been operational since March 2025, the news agency reported.
The Centre told the Supreme Court that it plans to establish a dedicated NIA court in each state and Union Territory, with extra courts in locations where more than 10 anti-terror cases are pending, ensuring trials do not get delayed.
The Ministry’s report shows that Delhi has the highest number of pending cases at 59, followed by Jammu and Kashmir with 38, and Assam, Gujarat, and Kerala with 33 each. The Supreme Court will examine further aspects of the setup of these special courts after three weeks.
(With PTI Inputs)
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