The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 enacted by Govt of India provides safeguards for children against sexual abuse. The POCSO Act 2012 provides for establishment of Special Courts for the purpose of ensuring speedy trial. Further, as per the Act, the evidence of the child shall be recorded within a period of thirty days of the Special Court taking cognizance of the offence and the Special Court shall complete the trial, as far as possible, within a period of one year from the date of taking cognizance of the offence. The Act was amended in 2019 to introduce more stringent punishment including death penalty for committing sexual crimes on children, with a view to deter the perpetrators & prevent such crimes against children.

A centrally sponsored scheme for setting up of 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) including 389 Exclusive POCSO Courts is implemented by the Department of Justice(DoJ), for expeditious trial and disposal of rape and POCSO cases. As informed by DoJ, 640 FTSCs including 338 exclusive POCSO Courts have become functional in 26 States/UTs by May, 2021, which disposed 50, 484 pending cases till May, 2021. Goa and J&K are yet to operationalize FTSCs. West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar island and Arunachal Pradesh have still not joined the Scheme. The list of States/UTs where these Courts are located is at Annexure-I. The information regarding the appointment of Judges in special courts formed under POCSO Act, 2012 is not maintained centrally.

The State/UT-wise cases registered and cases pending trial at the end of the year under POCSO Act, 2012 during 2017-2019 is at Annexure-II.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti  Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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AS

Annexure-I