Silchar (Assam), Dec 1 (PTI) Assam is on the track to catch up with the national conviction rate of over 50 per cent, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

"The conviction rate was as low as 5 per cent when I took charge as the home minister. Today, it has gone up to 23 per cent. I am of the view that we will soon touch 30 per cent," Sarma told reporters after inauguration of the court building of the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (M) at Lakhipur in Cachar district.

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He said the state will be able to touch the national conviction rate by the next two-three years if things proceed as planned.

"The situation has changed, but we were so behind that catching up with the national average is a very big task. But we are on the right track and we will reach it," Sarma added.

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The national conviction rate has been over 50 per cent for the past few years.

Earlier, Sarma and Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Vijay Bishnoi inaugurated the court building, an official statement said.

Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that the inauguration of the court building will not only enhance the efficiency of the judiciary in Lakhipur but also have a positive impact on fulfilling the aspirations of the people across Barak Valley.

He said that to strengthen the state's judicial system, the government has undertaken several significant initiatives, as a result which the judicial infrastructure in the state has seen remarkable progress in recent years.

In order to bring the judiciary closer to the common people, the state government has taken several steps to make justice more accessible, Sarma maintained.

He said that to protect children from sexual abuse and ensure swift resolution of cases related to child marriage, POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) courts have been established in 17 districts, including two in Nagaon.

He said plans are afoot to establish a dedicated commercial court in Guwahati with the number of commercial disputes increasing as the state is witnessing economic growth.

Similarly, a specialised NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) court is also being planned, Sarma added.

The CM said efforts are also underway to establish a Directorate of Prosecution in the state, which will function as the controlling authority of all administrative tasks related to prosecution.

He also maintained that the legal fraternity has a responsibility to not weaponise loopholes in delaying trial in cases involving crimes against women and children.

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