New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- The Central government has designated three new courts in Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh as "exclusive special courts" for the trial of scheduled offences being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) - India's premier investigative agency tasked with dealing with terrorist cases.

Scheduled offences are offences specifically listed in the Schedule of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, which include serious crimes related to terrorism, national security and other specified offences.

The designations of the three new courts have been made under Section 11 of the NIA Act, 2008, in consultation with the respective High Court Chief Justices and state governments. The announcement was forma...