Sexual crimes against children: HC notice on PIL for special

The Delhi High Court today sought response from city government on a PIL seeking a direction to constitute special courts for trying sexual offences committed against children.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bakhru issued notice to the Delhi government and sought response by August 14 on the PIL filed by an advocate Gaurav Bansal, saying section 28 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act mandates setting up special courts but nothing has been done so far.
The petitioner submitted that the Act also mandates appointment of special public prosecutors to deal with the such cases.

Although the Act came into being last November, the government so far has neither constituted the special courts nor appointed special public prosecutors, the lawyer said.
The petitioner said, "For the purpose of providing a speedy trial, the state government shall in consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the official Gazette, designate for each district, a Court of Session to be a Special Court to try the offences under the Act."
The bench asked the petitioner to make THE Delhi High court as a party in the matter.
The lawyer contended that sufficient awareness was not there about the Act and its provision even among the government officials and the police.