Supreme Court: Special Courts Cannot be Burdened With Other Judicial Work

The Supreme Court of India issued fresh directions to ensure speedy trials in cases investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), stressing that Special Courts designated under the NIA Act should not be burdened with unrelated judicial work.

The Court observed that assigning additional responsibilities to such courts defeats the purpose of establishing specialised mechanisms for handling serious offences involving national security and terrorism.

Directing High Courts and State authorities to ensure dedicated functioning of Special Courts, the Bench emphasised that delays in NIA trials undermine effective criminal justice administration.

The Court also sought periodic monitoring of case pendency and infrastructure requirements for these courts.