Tamil NaduSunday, 1 November 2026·The Hindu - Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu adds 26 POCSO and 4 NDPS courts to speed up child protection and drug case trials
Tamil Nadu will set up 26 POCSO Act courts and 4 NDPS courts, taking the total to 52 special courts across 47 police districts.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In November 2026, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay ordered 26 courts under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and 4 courts under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, to speed up trials in the State.
Key specifics
- 26 POCSO Act courts were ordered in Tamil Nadu in 2026 to expedite child sexual offence trials.
- 4 NDPS Act courts will be added, with one each in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Vellore, and one additional court in Chennai.
- ₹46.59 crore was the cost cited for 12 special courts and 14 additional courts under the POCSO-related expansion.
- 52 special courts will function across 47 police districts after the new additions.
- 11 special courts were already functioning for NDPS cases before the new four courts were announced.
Exam lens
Polity and governance question: match the Act with the number of courts, POCSO Act, 2012 = 26 courts, NDPS Act, 1985 = 4 courts, and remember the 47 police districts figure for TNPSC one-liners.