Terming as "shocking" the "state of affairs" in dealing with cases of sexual offences against children, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre and all state governments to play "a much more proactive role" in ensuring speedy probes and completion of trials of such cases within a year.
The top court, which had taken suo motu note of an "alarming rise" in the number of rape incidents against children, had already passed a slew of directions including setting up of a Centrally-funded designated court in each district having over 100 FIRs under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, to deal exclusively with such cases.
A bench headed by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, on November 13, took note of the report prepared by Surinder S Rathi, Registrar of the Supreme Court, and said the POCSO Act provides that the trials in cases of sexual offences against children have to be completed within a year.
"This report shows a shocking state of affairs. What to talk of trials, in 20 per cent of the cases even investigation is not completed within one year.
"Virtually, no support persons are provided and no compensation is paid to the victims. Almost two-third of the cases are pending trial for more than one year," said the bench which also comprised Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna.
Justice Gogoi, who demitted office as the CJI on November 17, said that at all stages, commencing from the investigation up to the stage of trial, "the time lines stipulated under the (POCSO) Act have not been complied with".
Concurring with the report of Registrar Rathi, the court said, "it appears that one major reason for the inability of the stake holders to meet the deadline stipulated under the Act is lack of awareness and lack of dedication in completing investigation, etc. within the time frame stipulated and also inadequacy of the number of courts which has resulted in cases remaining pending beyond the period mandated for completion of trial under the Act."