MOVE TO SPEED UP TRIALS
Now, special courts for crimes against kids
Mumbai: A sessions court in every sessions division or in every district has been designated as a childrens court, which will handle all the cases of offences against children.
A notification to this effect has been issued recently, said M N Geelani, principal secretary, law and judiciary department.
In each district or in each sessions division (Mumbai has more than one sessions division), the seniormost additional sessions judges court will be designated as the childrens court where the cases will be heard.
There will also be a special public prosecutor for such cases.
We have not created new courts, but as these courts have now been marked out to take up cases in which a child is a victim, speedier trials will take place, Geelani said.
Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 makes a provision for such a designated court for offences against children.
Until now, the state did not have childrens courts. The child and women welfare department had strongly recommended to the government that courts be notified, as provided by the law.
According to the statistics provided by the Maharashtra government, 2707 cases of serious offences against children were registered in the state last year.