New Delhi, Nov 2 A parliamentary committee on Monday reviewed the pendency of sexual offence cases against children and the performance of special fast-track courts in four states.
Top administration and police officials from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kerala briefed the department-related standing committee on Home.
Members who attended the meeting said the officials were asked about pending cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. They were also asked about the performance of fast-track special courts (FTSCs) set up exclusively to deal with such cases.
According to available data, Uttar Pradesh has the highest volume nationwide, with 65,000-75,000 pending cases.
In Kerala, 13,000-18,000 pending cases have been reported.
In Rajasthan, 12,000-16,000 pending cases are being handled by 45 FTSCs.
In Tamil Nadu, 8,000-11,000 pending cases are routed entirely through 20 dedicated POCSO courts.
Nationally, over 2.45 lakh child sexual offence and rape cases remain pending.
While Section 35 of the POCSO Act sets a one-year deadline for trial completion, over half of pending cases take more than 2 years due to investigation and trial backlogs.
(PTI News)
