Fast-track courts on cheque bounce cases

Description

Context: A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court proposed setting up fast-track courts for a limited time to clear dishonoured cheque cases, which form over 30% of the backlog in courts across the country.

Details:

The five-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde termed the pendency of cheques cases a “grotesque” problem.
The Bench suggested that even retired judges could preside in these “temporary” additional courts to clear pending cheque cases.

Fast Track Courts:

The 11th Finance Commission had recommended a scheme for the establishment of 1734 FTCs for the expeditious disposal of cases pending in the lower courts.
FTCs were to be established by the state governments in consultation with the respective High Courts.
An average of five FTCs were to be established in each district of the country. The judges for these FTCs were appointed on an adhoc basis.
The judges were selected by the High Courts of the respective states.
Though the central government stopped giving financial assistance to the states for establishing FTCs, the state governments could establish FTCs from their own funds.