In a significant yet bittersweet milestone for 2025, courts in the national capital have, for the first time, disposed of a higher number of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act than were registered in the year. However, this achievement offers little solace to child survivors, as a crushing burden of old and pending cases continues to deny them timely justice.
The Tipping Point That Isn't: Disposal vs. Pendency
The city's courts disposed of 1,792 POCSO cases in 2025, surpassing the 1,006 new cases registered in the same period. This data, highlighted in a report titled Pendency to Protection: Achieving the Tipping Point to Justice for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse by the Centre for Legal Action and Behaviour Change (C-LAB) for Children, reveals a complex reality. Despite the higher disposal rate, the system remains overwhelmed by a large backlog, with many cases languishing for over a decade.
As of December 2, Delhi courts were grappling with 2,075 POCSO cases that had remained unresolved for six to ten years. This group forms the largest chunk—54%—of all cases pending for more than two years. Cases pending for five and four years account for 14% and 13% of the backlog, respectively. Nationally, India has 35,434 POCSO cases pending in this six-to-ten-year bracket, with Delhi alone responsible for over 2,000 of them.
Conviction Rates and National Standing
The delays in the judicial process are starkly reflected in trial outcomes. In 2024, Delhi recorded a shockingly low conviction rate of just 9% in POCSO cases. This figure is less than half the national average conviction rate of 19%. The backlog numbers remain daunting: as of September 30, 2025, Delhi had 3,515 pending POCSO cases, even though 2,718 cases were disposed of through fast-track special courts and exclusive POCSO courts (ePocsos).
On the national stage, Delhi holds the fourth position in terms of its share of POCSO cases, accounting for 6% of India's total, trailing behind Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal. The gap in policing and prosecution is also evident. In 2023, Delhi saw 1,757 FIRs and 1,445 chargesheets, with 1,892 cases registered for trial. In contrast, national figures stood at 67,694 FIRs, 63,393 chargesheets, and 1,19,016 cases registered for trial.
The Core Challenge: Too Few Courts
Experts and prosecutors point to a fundamental issue: a severe shortage of dedicated courts. Out of 16 fast-track courts in Delhi, only 11 are functional as POCSO courts. Vineet Dahiya, an additional public prosecutor at Rohini Court, emphasized that the shortage of courts "directly impacts pendency." He stated, "The only way out can be the institution of more such courts which prioritise the effective disposal of POCSO cases."
The C-LAB report has put forth a concrete recommendation to address this crisis nationwide. It proposes setting up 600 additional ePocso courts across India at an estimated cost of Rs 1,977 crore to clear pending cases within four years. It suggests utilizing the Nirbhaya Fund for this purpose; Delhi's allocation from this fund is Rs 13.3 crore.
However, former counsel for the Delhi Commission for Women, Kajal Singhal, cautions that equitable placement of courts is as crucial as expanding capacity. She notes that delays are often worsened by survivors turning hostile, absent witnesses, or judges being on leave. Yet, she underscores that these are secondary issues. The primary and fundamental challenge remains the inadequate number of courts, which lies at the heart of Delhi's persistent POCSO pendency problem.
