LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court recently issued directives to the Legal Services Committee of the court to try and appoint women advocates to represent the victims of cases lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Justice Ajay Bhanot observed that although the Legal Services Committee had empanelled counsel to represent such victims, very few lady counsels were appearing in such cases on behalf of minor girls.
The single-judge bench was hearing a bail plea of a petitioner booked for rape under Section 376 of the IPC, POCSO Act and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
He had been in jail since June 8, 2021 and his bail plea was rejected by the Jaunpur trial court. The bench noted that the offence was grave as the victim was speech impaired and the likelihood of the applicant committed the offence was corroborated by the records. “At this stage, no case for bail is made out,” said Justice Bhanot.He also issued directives to the trial court to hear the case on a day-to-day basis and conclude the trial within a year.