LUCKNOW: There is huge pendency of rape cases in lower courts of Lucknow. As many as 605 rape cases are pending, of these, 54 gang rape cases and 373 rape cases are in the trial stage, whereas 34 gang rapes and 144 rape matters are awaiting committal from the magistrate's courts to sessions court.

The session judge KK Sharma has sought details of the pending cases and decided to allot three court for trial of rape cases only. He has also asked the chief judicial magistrate to monitor the status of rape cases at pre-trial stage before committal and ensure that the cases are speedily sent to sessions courts after completing the necessary formalities. The sessions judge will supervise the progress of the trial and see that justice is delivered expeditiously.

These steps have been taken by the judge after Delhi gang rape incident. The public outrage over the incident also brought to the fore huge pendency of cases related to crime against women across the country. In Lucknow, it was found that a rape case of 1975 is still pending for disposal in one of the court. Lucknow. Under Krishnanagar police station, a girl hailing from Kandhi Bazaar of Kolkata was raped and the police had submitted chargesheet 37 years ago, but the case is yet not committed for trial. Meanwhile, one of the three accused in the case has died, while two are absconding.

In yet another incident of the same police station, a woman was raped in 1976 and her case is also awaiting committal. Similarly, cases of 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989 of different police stations are also awaiting to the sessions court. In one of the rape case, the trial began in 1993 but has not concluded as yet.