📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gyanendra_Singh_Chau…
Crime
Madhya Pradesh High Court flags over 14,000 pending POXO appeals, calls for greater awareness
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 23 Sep 2026, 08:31 AM
👁 9
The three benches of the Madhya Pradesh High Court have a backlog of 14,531 criminal appeals under the POXO Act, prompting the chief justice and Justice Vivek Rusia to urge broader public awareness.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court is currently grappling with a substantial backlog of 14,531 criminal appeals filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POXO) Act across its three benches. The volume of pending cases highlights the strain on the judiciary in addressing sexual offences against minors.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alpes Y. Kogje and Justice Vivek Rusia formally expressed concern over the delay, noting that the accumulation of appeals hampers timely justice for victims and their families. The judges underscored the urgency of accelerating the disposal of these matters.
In their remarks, the bench called for a concerted effort to raise public awareness about the POXO law, emphasizing that greater knowledge among citizens could lead to increased reporting and swifter legal action. They suggested that outreach programs and media campaigns be intensified to educate communities about the rights and protections the Act provides.
The court is expected to explore procedural measures, such as dedicated POXO case lists or fast‑track mechanisms, to reduce the pendency and ensure that cases involving child sexual offences are resolved without undue delay.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alpes Y. Kogje and Justice Vivek Rusia formally expressed concern over the delay, noting that the accumulation of appeals hampers timely justice for victims and their families. The judges underscored the urgency of accelerating the disposal of these matters.
In their remarks, the bench called for a concerted effort to raise public awareness about the POXO law, emphasizing that greater knowledge among citizens could lead to increased reporting and swifter legal action. They suggested that outreach programs and media campaigns be intensified to educate communities about the rights and protections the Act provides.
The court is expected to explore procedural measures, such as dedicated POXO case lists or fast‑track mechanisms, to reduce the pendency and ensure that cases involving child sexual offences are resolved without undue delay.