Advocates said that in Theni district, over 200 POCSO Act cases were pending

A special court has been opened in Theni district, to try cases booked under the POCSO Act, here on Wednesday, September 27.

The Principal District Judge K. Arivoli inaugurated the court in the presence of District Collector R.V. Shajeevana, Superintendent of Police Praveen Umesh Dongre and other senior judicial officers by lighting a lamp at the court complex.

Shortly after the inauguration, Judge Ganesan commenced hearing at the special court POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act 2012.

Advocates said that in Theni district, over 200 POCSO Act cases were pending and thanked the administration for having set up an exclusive court. “We hope the trial is expedited and the accused were convicted within a year as per the laws,” they added.

According to data, 11 out of 16 districts with special POCSO courts have over 300 cases each pending, which included Chennai, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore and among others. Though the Supreme Court had in 2019 stated that districts, where there are more than 300 cases, two exclusive courts need to be established, it had not been complied with yet in many districts, the advocates said.

The Tamil Nadu government had, in an order issued in April, said that four courts would be established including Theni district by this year and other districts would get similar facility in the coming year.