Set up POCSO courts on priority, SC directs Centre

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Centre to set up dedicated POCSO courts, to exclusively deal with cases of sexual offences against children, on “top priority basis”.

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A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Punjab Varale said due to the inadequacy of the number of exclusive courts for the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases, the timelines mandated under the law for completion of trials weren't adhered to.

“It is therefore expected that the Union of India and the state governments shall take appropriate steps to sensitise officials associated with the investigation of POCSO cases, and create dedicated courts to try POCSO cases on top priority basis,” the Bench said.

The top court further directed filing of chargesheets within the mandatory period stipulated in law besides completing trials within the prescribed time frame.

The apex court noted that majority states, with the funding from the Centre, complied with the directions for setting up exclusive courts for POCSO cases, but given the pendency of such cases, more POCSO courts were required in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Maharashtra, and a few other states.

The top court had previously directed senior advocate and amicus curiae V Giri and senior advocate Uttara Babbar to submit state-wise details on the status of POCSO courts.

The apex court was hearing a petition underlining the “alarming rise in the number of reported child rape incidents” in a suo motu case. It asked states to set up two designated courts in districts where the number of pending cases of child abuse under the POCSO Act was more than 300.