Bhubaneswar: The Odisha law minister, Pratap Jena, Friday said that 24 fast track courts will be opened in the State for trial of cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012.

Jena said the courts would be opened under Odisha Civil Court Act 1984 as per the directive of the supreme court. Judicial officers of additional district judge rank will preside over these courts.

The courts will come up in Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Bolangir, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Berhampur, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Bhawanipatna, Keonjhar, Kendrapara, Khorda, Jeypore, Baripada, Nayagargh, Nawarangpur, Phulbani, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur and Sundergarh.