Hold special training session for Pocso court judges, rules HC

Criticises delay in recording victim's statement within 30 days, orders Registry to reissue circular to courts under Madurai bench on best way to handle such cases

- JEGADEESWARI PANDIAN OMaeual as

CRITICISING the widespread non-compliance of Section 35 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, which mandates Pocso Special Courts to record the statement of the victim within 30 days after cognizance of final report, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently requested the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy to conduct a special training session for the presiding officers of these Special Courts.

A bench of justices C V Karthikeyan and R Vijayakumar said that the training session should aim at sensitising the presiding officers to the statutory requirements that are needed to record the evidence of the child within the prescribed period and the importance of taking cognisance of charge sheets, including those filed electronically, without undue delay.