In keeping with the mandate of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, the Odisha Government has finally notified constitution of Children’s Courts in all the 30 districts.
The Act empowers the State to notify at least one court in the State or a Sessions Court in each district as a Children’s Court and it has been done with concurrence of the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.
Barring Jagatsinghpur, Deogarh and Malkangiri, the Sessions Court has been designated as the Children’s Court in rest of the revenue districts.
As per Section 25 of the Act, establishment of the court is sought for providing speedy trial of offences against children or of violation of child rights.
For every Children’s Court, the Act mandates the State Government to appoint a public prosecutor or an advocate who has been practising for not less than seven years as the special public prosecutor.