‘District court budgets should take care of POCSO Courts’ Says Assam Government

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has indicated that the facilities like furniture, books, and other paraphernalia, as well as the Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centre (VWDC) required for the POCSO Courts, can be taken care of from the budget allotted to the District and Sessions Judges of the districts.

Senior Government Advocate D. Nath, on behalf of the State Judicial Department, informed the Court of this during the hearing of a PIL (60/2019) linked with a suo-motto PIL (1/2018). He presented copies of two communications dated June 10, 2022, and March 21, 2023, in response to the direction given by this Court earlier. The letter of June 10, 2022, revealed that the Deputy Secretary of the State Judicial Department said this.

The Vulnerable Witness Deposition Scheme aims to provide safety to vulnerable witnesses based on threat assessment and protection.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Mitali Thakuria, said, “We feel that as the VWDC is a new facility being created under the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and for the mandate of the POCSO Act, the State Government is required to release additional budget for this infrastructure.”

The bench asked senior government counsel Nath to take instructions in this regard. “In view of widening the scope of proceedings and ensuring proper and full implementation of the directions given by the Supreme Court in the continuing writ petition, WP(C) No. 473/2005, we deem it fit to involve the UNICEF representative of Assam in this matter. Thus, a request letter shall be sent by the Registry to the UNICEF, Assam representative so that their input can also be taken,” the Court said, and asked the senior government advocate to collect information regarding the status of utilization of funds being provided by the Central Government under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICDS).

The bench also said that the Deputy Solicitor General of India would also provide assistance to the court in this matter.

The PILs will be heard on June 8, 2023.

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