New Delhi, May 16 (IANS): The central government has sought from all states the number of Muslim youths involved in terror cases lodged in jails, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said Wednesday while favouring fast track courts to deal with such cases.

Responding to a query on the need to set up fast track courts to deal with cases of Muslim youths held on terror charges, Shinde said his ministry has sent an advisory to states to find out how many such inmates were in prison and for how many years they had been there.

"We are trying to find out. It will take some time," Shinde said, adding that the centre was in favour of states setting up fast track courts.

Answering a query, he said the ministry was keen on operational control over Assam Rifles.

He said the force was deployed 20-25 km behind the international border and noted that its operational control was with the defence ministry.

"We are demanding control. Talks are being held though no final decision has been taken," he said.

On the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Shinde said the draft of the proposal would be placed before the chief ministers for discussion at a conference in June.

"We have removed the operational power from the IB (Intelligence Bureau)," he said and hoped that the move would help address apprehensions of the states that have concerns over possible encroachment of their powers.

Asked about his assessment of cross-border internal security issues in the wake of new government coming to office in Pakistan, Shinde said it would not be appropriate to make full assessment.

He said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated Nawaz Sharif when his party was in the lead and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader extended invitation for his swearing in. "Such initiatives help remove doubts," he said.

On demands for commuting death sentence of convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, Shinde said he had received number of representation from people. "We are looking into it," he said.