SC tells HCs to set up panels to monitor POCSO Act trials

SC tells HCs to set up panels to monitor POCSO Act trials

Context

Supreme Court shocked by high rate of pendency of child sexual assault cases

What has happened?

Shocked by the high rate of pendency of child sexual assault cases, the Supreme Court directed High Courts to set up panels of its judges to regulate and monitor trials under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act

Background

• The Supreme Court, which had ordered a review of the backlog under POCSO, found that States such as Uttar Pradesh have over 30,000 cases pending despite the child protection law coming into existence as early as 2012.
• Many States have not yet even set up Special Courts to try POCSO cases as mandated by the law.