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Comprehensive Analysis: POCSO Act, Its Genesis, and Constitutional Provisions What is the POCSO Act? The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) is a landmark legislation enacted by the Indian Parliament to address sexual exploitation and abuse of children. This Act aims to provide a robust legal framework to safeguard children against offenses like sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography, ensuring speedy trial and stringent punishment for offenders. Why Was the POCSO Act Introduced? Rising Cases of Child Sexual Abuse : Child sexual abuse was a growing concern in India, with statistics revealing alarming numbers of unreported and unpunished cases. There was no specific law targeting these crimes comprehensively before 2012. Inadequate Existing Legal Framework : Existing laws under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were not sufficient to address the unique nature of child sexual abuse cases. Many offenses, including non-penetrative acts and h...

Suo Motu Action Requested by Former SCBA President on Behalf of West Bengal Judicial Officers In a concerning development, Adish Aggarwala, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Senior Advocate, has called upon the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to take suo motu action on a troubling incident involving three judicial officers from West Bengal. The officers, based in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas, have raised serious concerns over an incident that threatens the independence of the judiciary. The Incident: A Threat to Judicial Independence The judicial officers, residing in the official judicial quarters known as "Judges Abasan", recounted a troubling event that occurred in the early hours of September 9, 2024. In their letter, they revealed that a police officer from the Diamond Harbour district instructed security guards to allow two individuals to enter the premises to disconnect the power supply at an unusual and inappropriate hour. This act ha...

Delhi High Court: Video Recording of Bail Proceedings Mandatory Under SC/ST Act, Even in Sexual Offence Cases In a landmark ruling, the Delhi High Court held that video recording of bail proceedings under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is mandatory, even in cases involving sexual offences. The ruling was issued by Justice Vikas Mahajan while hearing the bail application of Laxmi Narayan, the accused in a highly sensitive Delhi minor rape and murder case. The case involved provisions from the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the SC/ST Act. Section 15A(10) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 The primary focus of the judgment was on Section 15A(10) of the SC/ST Act, which mandates that all proceedings under the Act, including bail hearings, must be video recorded. This provision is in place to protect the rights of victims, especially those belonging to marginalized commu...

Supreme Court Overturns Controversial Calcutta HC  Judgement on Adolescent Sexual Urges In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has set aside a controversial judgement by the Calcutta High Court, which advised adolescent girls to "control their sexual urges." The SC has restored the conviction under rape charges against a man accused of sexually assaulting a minor, with whom he later entered into a marriage.  SC Restores Rape Conviction A bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan reversed the Calcutta High Court's acquittal of the accused, emphasizing that the High Court's observations on adolescent behavior were "problematic" and "highly objectionable." Guidelines for Judges on Writing Judgments In a critical move, the Supreme Court also issued guidelines for judges on how to draft judgments in cases involving adolescents, ensuring that personal biases and unwarranted opinions do not influence the judicial process.  Calcutta HC’s ...