📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Prime Minister's Office
Crime
Tamil Nadu to establish 17 additional POCSO courts statewide
✍️ The New Indian Express
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 11:34 AM
👁 7
The Tamil Nadu government announced the creation of 17 new courts dedicated to hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, aiming to expedite justice for child victims.
The state cabinet approved the proposal to set up 17 additional POCSO courts across Tamil Nadu, complementing the existing network of specialized tribunals that handle sexual offences against children.
The new courts will be distributed in districts that currently lack dedicated POCSO benches, with the aim of reducing case backlogs and ensuring that trials are concluded within the statutory time limits prescribed by law.
Officials said the courts will be staffed with magistrates trained in child‑friendly procedures and will operate under the guidance of the State Child Welfare Department to provide a supportive environment for victims and witnesses.
The move comes as part of the government's broader effort to strengthen child protection mechanisms after recent reports highlighted delays in adjudicating POCSO cases.
The establishment of the courts is expected to be completed by the end of the fiscal year, and the state will allocate additional budgetary resources for infrastructure and capacity building.
The new courts will be distributed in districts that currently lack dedicated POCSO benches, with the aim of reducing case backlogs and ensuring that trials are concluded within the statutory time limits prescribed by law.
Officials said the courts will be staffed with magistrates trained in child‑friendly procedures and will operate under the guidance of the State Child Welfare Department to provide a supportive environment for victims and witnesses.
The move comes as part of the government's broader effort to strengthen child protection mechanisms after recent reports highlighted delays in adjudicating POCSO cases.
The establishment of the courts is expected to be completed by the end of the fiscal year, and the state will allocate additional budgetary resources for infrastructure and capacity building.