Order

This special leave petition has been filed by the State of Karnataka assailing the judgment and order, Criminal Appeal No. 1215 of 2006 passed by the High Court of Karnataka by which the sentence of life imprisonment for conviction of an offence of rape under Section 376 of the Penal Code, 1860 (for short “IPC”) has been reduced to ten years.

While we propose to consider this matter on merits after service of notice to the respondent-accused, we feel acutely concerned as to why the Union of India should not take initiative and steps to evolve a procedure for fast-track justice to be adopted by the investigating agencies and the Fast Track Courts by proposing amendments to CrPC for speedy justice to the victim.

Fast Track Courts no doubt are being constituted for expeditious disposal of cases involving the charge of rape at the trial stage, but we are perturbed and anguished to notice that although there are Fast Track Courts for disposal of such cases, we do not yet have a fast-track procedure for dealing with cases of rape and gang rape lodged under Section 376 IPC with the result that such heinous offences are repeated incessantly.

We are of the considered opinion that there is