- By Yashashvi Tak
- Fri, 16 May 2025 12:54 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court on Thursday has directed the Central government and all state governments to set up a special court for the expedited trial of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) cases. A bench consisting of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Prasanna B Varale noted that delays in POCSO trials are mainly due to a lack of dedicated courts.
"Because of the inadequacy of the number of exclusive Courts for the POCSO cases, the said timelines mandated in the Act for completion of the trials are not being maintained," the bench noted in its judgement.
The Supreme Court instructed the Central and state governments to take immediate action to sensitize officials handling POCSO cases, establish dedicated POCSO courts, ensure the timely filing of chargesheets, and complete trials within the prescribed timeframe under the Act.
The Court issued these directions in a suo motu case addressing the alarming rise in child rape cases in India. The Court had initiated the case in September 2019 after observing numerous news reports highlighting the increasing incidents of child rape across the country.
Subsequently, the Court issued detailed directions to government authorities to establish a special POCSO court in each district where the number of registered POCSO cases exceeded 100.
The Court directed that these courts be established under a Central government-funded scheme, covering appointments, staff, and infrastructure, to ensure a child-friendly and supportive environment. Since then, the Court has issued additional directions to government authorities, including the establishment of dedicated Forensic Science Laboratories to expedite investigations in POCSO cases.
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The Court closed the matter by directing government authorities to prioritize the establishment of POCSO courts.
(With ANI Inputs)