PANAJI
In what could be a disappointing revelation, Goa is the only State in the country, alongside Ladakh within the Union Territory ambit, that has failed to secure a single conviction in cases of sexual offenses against children spanning three years from 2020 to 2022. But while Goa recorded fewer cases under this crime head, Ladakh had no cases of sexual violence in 2020 and 2021.
According to data tabled in the Lok Sabha, Goa’s record in 2020 is shared with Arunachal Pradesh, both States failing to secure any convictions despite their relatively lower number of registered cases compared to other States and Union Territories.
The situation continued in the subsequent year, 2021, wherein Goa stood alone among the States without a single conviction, along with Union Territories of Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
The last calendar year, 2022 witnessed a recurrence of the situation with Goa and Arunachal Pradesh once again failing to secure any convictions.
While only 11 cases of sexual offenses were registered with Goa Police during these three years, around 10 cases were pending trial until 2020-end. As of March 2023, the cumulative resolution of Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences cases in Goa reached 30, while the cumulative backlog has exceeded this disposal figure, standing at 43.
Across India, the pendency of POCSO cases has increased from 122617 as of March 2022 to 131886 cases as of March 2023.
The Government of India, in August 2019, finalized a Scheme for setting up Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) across the country for expeditious trial and disposal of pending cases pertaining to the Rape and POCSO Act, 2012 in a time-bound manner.
As per the data submitted by various High courts, up to October 2023, 758 FTSCs including 412 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts are functional in 30 States/UTs across the country which have disposed of more than 2,00,000 cases.
