In a significant move to address the rising pendency of child sexual abuse cases, the Supreme Court has directed the Central Government to establish exclusive courts for cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on a priority basis.

The directive was issued by a bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and P B Varale, who expressed concern over the failure to adhere to the statutory timelines for concluding POCSO trials, largely due to the insufficient number of dedicated courts.

Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, the Bench called upon both the Union and State Governments to take immediate steps not only to set up more exclusive POCSO courts but also to sensitise investigating officers and other stakeholders involved in handling such cases.

Reiterating its earlier directions, the Court underlined the need to ensure that charge sheets are filed and trials completed within the timelines stipulated under the POCSO Act.

Although several states—supported by central funding—have complied with previous orders to establish dedicated POCSO courts, the Court noted that states such as Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, and Maharashtra continue to face a shortage of such courts due to a high volume of pending cases.

The order was passed in a suo motu case initiated by the Court in light of the growing number of child sexual abuse cases across the country. Senior advocates V Giri and Uttara Babbar, appointed as amici curiae, have submitted detailed, state-wise data on the status of POCSO courts.

The apex court further mandated that in districts where the number of pending POCSO cases exceeds 300, a minimum of two exclusive courts must be established. It also clarified that its earlier order from July 2019—calling for one special court in every district with more than 100 FIRs under the POCSO Act—was specifically aimed at setting up courts exclusively for POCSO matters