As many as 47,221 cases were registered in the year 2020 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Pocso) with a conviction rate of 39.6%, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Responding to Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP S Venkatesan’s query on pending cases under the Act, Union minister for women and child development Smriti Irani provided state-wise data collated by the National Crime Records Bureau. In 2020, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 6,898 registered cases, followed by Maharashtra (5,687) and Madhya Pradesh (5,648).
According to the data, Uttar Pradesh had a conviction rate of 70.7% whereas the figures for Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh stood at 30.9% and 37.2%, respectively. On the other hand, Manipur was the only state/Union territory with a conviction rate of 100% for three consecutive years.
Irani added that by the end of 2020, there were 170,000 cases pending trial, which was 57.4% more than those in 2018 (108,129).
In 2020, the Union territories of Ladakh and Chandigarh had zero cases registered. However, the latter had one case chargesheeted, eight cases pending trial by the end of the year and two persons charged. Amongst the states, Goa and Himachal Pradesh had the lowest number of cases registered -- five each.
{{/usCountry}}In 2020, the Union territories of Ladakh and Chandigarh had zero cases registered. However, the latter had one case chargesheeted, eight cases pending trial by the end of the year and two persons charged. Amongst the states, Goa and Himachal Pradesh had the lowest number of cases registered -- five each.
{{/usCountry}}The Union minister said, “The department of justice is implementing a scheme for setting up of 1,023 fast track special courts (FTSCs) including 389 exclusive Pocso courts for expeditious trial and disposal of cases related to rape and the Pocso Act in furtherance to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.” In 2022, 892 FTSCs were active, whereas in 2021, 898 were, Irani said.