Madras HC Sets Up Special Bench To Monitor POCSO And JJ Act Implementation

The Madras High Court has established a dedicated special bench comprising Justice N Anand Venkatesh and Justice Sunder Mohan.

This bench has been tasked with overseeing the implementation of the provisions outlined in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act (JJ Act).

In light of the significance of the matter at hand, the division bench has directed the High Court Registry to notify all lawyers’ associations, both at the Principal seat in Chennai and the Madurai Bench. This notification aims to enable the Court to seek assistance from the Bar.

Additionally, the bench has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu and the DGP of Pondicherry to provide all relevant data concerning cases under the two Acts. This data should include pending cases under investigation by the police, as well as cases pending before the Court or the JJ Board. The information should pertain to both the victims and juveniles in conflict with the law.

The formation of this bench follows an earlier order issued in April by the then Acting Chief Justice T Raja. This order was prompted by a recommendation from Justice PN Prakash and Justice Venkatesh, who were presiding over a habeas corpus petition filed by the father of a minor girl.

The petition detailed how the girl had undergone the prohibited ‘two finger test’ and was subsequently placed in a state-run shelter by the Child Welfare Committee. This action was taken after a video circulated on social media, depicting one of her classmates tying a thali (mangalsutra) around her neck.