STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Executive Engineers concerned of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the secretaries of various District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to carry out a joint survey on court premises in their respective districts on Friday, November 11 and submit individual feasibility reports to the court regarding establishment of vulnerable witness deposition centres therein under the Protection of Children from of Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act latest by November 14 last.
This directive came during hearing of a PIL filed by a Delhi-based NGO named Bachpan Bachao Andolan and a linked suo moto PIL pertaining to lack of infrastructure in POCSO courts functioning in various districts of Assam.
During previous hearing of the matter, the High Court had noted that it had received reports from different districts that indicated the absence of proper facilities required for the POCSO courts. The court had observed at the previous hearing that "these infrastructural deficiencies are required to be addressed primarily by the state government".
While giving time to the state government to examine the matter and take necessary remedial steps, the High Court had further observed on that occasion: "We are also of the view that, deficiencies as indicated in the reports need to be addressed immediately as the methodology of trial in POCSO courts is different from the normal criminal trial courts, specifically providing for secure room for the child victim or the child witnesses, as the case may be, preventing any kind of audiovisual contact of the child victim with the accused etc. From the reading of the reports, we have also noted that in these critical areas there have been shortcomings which require to be immediately addressed."
It may be mentioned that the latest directive for submission of feasibility reports by the PWD Executive Engineers and DSLA secretaries concerned has come in the wake of an earlier directive for preparation of a time-bound action plan for removal of the deficiencies in infrastructure of the POCSO courts of the state.
The court had mentioned on the earlier occasion: "We also make it clear that it is an issue which requires urgent attention of the authorities concerned in the state government as any delay in addressing these critical infrastructural deficiencies will adversely affect the justice-delivery system as far as POCSO-related cases are concerned, which are to be avoided."
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