The Tamil Nadu government has decided to appoint additional special public prosecutors (SPPs) to accelerate trials under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and minimize delays in charge sheet filings, as part of broader efforts to curb crimes against women and children.
High-Level Review Meeting
The decision emerged from a joint high-level review meeting held on Tuesday, involving officials from the home, women and child welfare, and school education departments. Officials identified a significant bottleneck: the time lag between case registration, charge sheet filing, and the commencement of court proceedings.
“At present, there is a considerable delay in filing charge sheets and taking cases to trial. The directorate of prosecution has been directed to appoint more public prosecutors. A recruitment notification has already been issued, and more will follow soon,” an official stated.
Legal Requirements Under POCSO Act
Under Section 32 of the POCSO Act, state governments are required to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor for each special court handling child sexual abuse cases. These prosecutors must have at least seven years of experience at the Bar and handle these trials exclusively. According to Supreme Court directives, if there are insufficient SPPs, existing prosecutors should be utilized.
Officials cited the recent Sulur minor girl murder case as an example, where senior advocate K R Sankaran was appointed as special public prosecutor, leading to the charge sheet being filed within 18 days.
Preventive Measures: Peer Counselling in Schools
As part of preventive measures among adolescents, the school education department has been instructed to introduce peer counselling groups in schools. Officials noted that existing counsellors in both government and private schools often struggle with age and technology gaps when addressing newer forms of harassment and stalking, many of which originate online.
“The idea is to identify communicative students and train them on issues such as digital stalking, good touch and bad touch, identifying unsafe acquaintances, and responsible social media interactions. Peer-level communication can improve awareness among students and parents,” the official explained. The initiative is expected to roll out soon.
Digital Literacy and Awareness
Officials added that investigations involving adolescents aged 15–18 frequently reveal interactions with strangers through social media platforms, often without parental knowledge. “Peer counselling can improve digital literacy and awareness on safe online interactions and recognizing risky behaviour,” an official said. Tamil Nadu had experimented with peer counselling nearly 15 years ago at a GCC girls’ school in Nungambakkam, but the pilot did not scale up.
Expert Opinions
Advocate Akila Ramalingam noted that understaffing of prosecutors and overcrowding in POCSO courts remain challenges. “Hiring more SPPs alone may not prevent crimes against women and children. Faster prosecution and visible outcomes can act as a deterrent,” she said.
Esther Maria Selva of NGO ActionAid emphasized that peer counselling should become a standard feature across schools. “There is a technology gap among traditional counsellors in understanding modern forms of harassment and stalking, which often begin through digital conversations. Peer counsellors must be trained to handle disclosures sensitively and provide accurate guidance. The government should work with trained and specialized organizations in this area,” she added.
