Kerala High Court directs State to ensure adequate facilities at POCSO courts

The Kerala High Court has ordered the state government to ensure the special courts established under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) have adequate facilities. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice K.V. Jayakumar directed the state to disclose the number of additional courts needed for POCSO cases following instructions from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court mandated all districts with over 100 POCSO cases to set up special courts, with the Union government funding them to cover the costs of the presiding officer, special public prosecutors, and court staff. The court emphasized that if space is limited, the state should provide rooms with necessary infrastructure.

The petitioner reported that the state has not appointed the required number of exclusive public prosecutors. Under Supreme Court directives, Chief Justresses of all High Courts were tasked with creating special programs in Judicial Academies to train Special Public Prosecutors in law, child psychology, behavior, and pediatric health.