The Madras High Court has initiated a comprehensive review of the functioning of special courts handling cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act across Tamil Nadu, seeking district-level data on pendency, staffing and infrastructure requirements.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan directed both the State government and the High Court Registry to submit detailed reports on the current status of POCSO courts throughout the State.
The Bench has sought information on the total number of pending POCSO cases in every district, the number of courts currently hearing such matters, vacancies in judicial posts, the need for additional courts, and infrastructural gaps that may be affecting the timely disposal of cases.
In its order dated June 22, the Court instructed counsel representing the High Court and the State administration to place before it complete factual and statistical details concerning the functioning of POCSO courts. The matter is scheduled for further consideration on July 7.
The proceedings stem from a writ petition filed by a survivor of sexual assault who sought judicial intervention to ensure expeditious trials in rape, sexual offence and POCSO-related cases across Tamil Nadu.
The case had earlier drawn the attention of another Division Bench, which took note of allegations that the petitioner had been subjected to a grave sexual offence allegedly involving police personnel. During those proceedings, the Court expressed concern over delays in the trial despite the filing of the final report and the matter being taken on file by the Fast Track Mahila Court in Tiruvannamalai.
According to submissions made before the Court, the case was registered by the All Women Police Station in Tiruvannamalai under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Although the chargesheet had been filed and the case was taken on record in December 2025, the trial had yet to commence.
The Bench had observed that the accused officers had already been dismissed from service and questioned why the trial process had not progressed. It further clarified that the pendency of a revision petition challenging the rejection of a discharge plea should not automatically halt trial proceedings.
To prevent further delay, the trial court was directed to decide the discharge application filed by one of the accused within a week. The High Court also indicated that if the prosecution succeeded and no protective order was secured from a higher forum within the stipulated period, the trial should proceed on a day-to-day basis and be concluded by July 31, 2026.
The latest order signals a broader judicial effort to assess whether Tamil Nadu’s existing POCSO court framework is adequately equipped to handle the volume of cases and deliver timely justice to victims of sexual offences.
