Lok Sabha Question No. 2703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-14
Subject: Child Abuse
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2703

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 14 TH  DECEMBER, 2021/ AGRAHAYANA 23, 1943 (SAKA) CHILD ABUSE

2703. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to initiate stringent action on child abuse, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to review existing systems so as to ensure effective mechanism to prevent child abuse, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it has come to the notice of Government that percentage of acquittal in POCSO cases are high;
- (d)  if  so,  the  action  taken  with  regard  to  effective  mechanism  for  ensuring  the punishment;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  initiate  action  against  police  officers failed to initiate effective action against the crimes related to child abuse, if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of cases registered against child abuse during the last three years and the rate of conviction, State-wise; and
- (g) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the reasons for high rate of acquittal in such cases and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI AJAY KUMAR MISHRA)

(a) & (b) The Government of India has amended the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, a comprehensive law that provides protection to children  from  sexual  abuse,  in  the year 2019  to make  it  more  stringent.  The

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## LS.US.Q.NO.2703 FOR 14.12.2021

Government has also notified the POCSO Rules 2020, replacing the earlier Rules of  2012,  to  provide  for  putting  in  place  effective  mechanisms  for  safety  to children from abuse.

(c) to (f) 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibilities  to  maintain  law  and order, protection  of life  and  property of  the  citizens  including  investigation  and prosecution of crime against children rest with them. The  States/ Union Territories  are  competent  to  deal  with  any  such  offences  under  the  extant provisions  of  laws.  However,  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  been  issuing Advisories from time to time to States/UTs in this regard, which are available at www.mha.gov.in. The Bureau of Police Research and Development is undertaking training for Investigation officers and Prosecutors on handling POCSO and AntiTrafficking cases as a capacity development measure.

National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  compiles  and  publishes  information  on crimes in its publication 'Crime in India'. The published reports are available till the year 2020. As per published report for the year 2020, a total of 6578 persons were acquitted. Details of cases registered and conviction rate for crimes against children in the last three years, state-wise, is at Annexure.

(g) No, Sir.

## LS.US.Q.NO.2703 FOR 14.12.2021

## Annexure referred to in reply to unstarred Question no. 2703 for reply on 14 th December, 2021

| State/UT-wise   | State/UT-wise               | State/UT-wise   | State/UT-wise   | State/UT-wise   | State/UT-wise   | State/UT-wise   |
|-----------------|-----------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
| SL              | State/UT                    | during 2018     | during 2018     | 2019            | 2019            | 2020            |
| SL              | State/UT                    | CR              | CVR             | CR              | CVR CR          | CVR             |
| 1               | Andhra Pradesh              | 361             | 6.5             | 502             | 16.2 454        | 9.0             |
| 2               | Arunachal Pradesh           | 24              | 50.0            | 36              | - 28            | -               |
| 3               | Assam                       | 1721            | 21.6            | 1779            | 26.8 1496       | 11.6            |
| 4               | Bihar                       | 2094            | 71.2            | 1540            | 67.7 1591       | 56.9            |
| 5               | Chhattisgarh                | 1812            | 34.0            | 2027            | 30.7 2049       | 36.0            |
| 6               | Goa                         | 2               | -               | 0               | - 5             | -               |
| 7               | Gujarat                     | 2154            | 13.5            | 2253            | 17.9 2345       | 16.4            |
| 8               | Haryana                     | 1924            | 35.7            | 2074            | 30.7 1853       | 26.3            |
| 9               | Himachal Pradesh            | 28              | 0.0             | 12              | 0.0 5           | 0.0             |
| 10              | Jharkhand                   | 615             | 29.5            | 654             | 56.2 938        | 66.2            |
| 11              | Karnataka                   | 2036            | 19.4            | 2160            | 18.9 2104       | 10.6            |
| 12              | Kerala                      | 1153            | 36.0            | 1283            | 19.4 2163       | 24.8            |
| 13              | Madhya Pradesh              | 2445            | 39.4            | 6123            | 30.1 5648       | 37.2            |
| 14              | Maharashtra                 | 6233            | 28.6            | 6558            | 28.9 5687       | 30.9            |
| 15              | Manipur                     | 43              | 100.0           | 58              | 100.0 75        | 100.0           |
| 16              | Meghalaya                   | 266             | 59.3            | 219             | 84.2 328        | 64.0            |
| 17              | Mizoram                     | 138             | 87.1            | 79              | 88.1 105        | 72.1            |
| 18              | Nagaland                    | 9               | 81.8            | 12              | 50.0 18         | 85.7            |
| 19              | Odisha                      | 1887            | 18.8            | 2036            | 25.6 2202       | 15.7            |
| 20              | Punjab                      | 411             | 35.3            | 389             | 31.3 720        | 37.8            |
| 21              | Rajasthan                   | 488             | 45.5            | 596             | 60.3 244        | 81.6            |
| 22              | Sikkim                      | 118             | 39.7            | 91              | 40.0 98         | 47.8            |
| 23              | Tamil Nadu                  | 2039            | 23.1            | 2396            | 25.4 3090       | 23.6            |
| 24              | Telangana                   | 1665            | 12.5            | 1998            | 8.7 2074        | 19.1            |
| 25              | Tripura                     | 127             | 26.0            | 176             | 38.2 143        | 37.9            |
| 26              | Uttar Pradesh               | 5401            | 63.5            | 7594            | 62.5 6898       | 70.7            |
| 27              | Uttarakhand                 | 337             | 66.7            | 369             | 90.2 573        | 71.4            |
| 28              | West Bengal                 | 2267            | 28.9            | 2256            | 19.5 2657       | 14.2            |
|                 | TOTAL STATE(S)              | 37798           | 33.4            | 45270           | 32.4 45591      | 39.1            |
| 29              | A&N Islands                 | 69              | 0.0             | 94              | 9.7 118         | 35.5            |
| 30              | Chandigarh                  | 2               | 100.0           | 5               | - 0             | 0.0             |
| 31              | D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu+ | 24              | 23.5            | 54              | 0.0 42          | 9.1             |
| 32              | Delhi                       | 1839            | 59.1            | 1719            | 68.4 1197       | 79.1            |
| 33              | Jammu & Kashmir*            | 32              | -               | 109             | 0.0             | 33.3            |
| 34              | Ladakh                      | -               | -               | -               | 200 - 0         | -               |
| 35              | Lakshadweep                 | 7               | -               | 25              | 0.0 8           |                 |
| 36              | Puducherry                  | 56              | 0.0             | 48              | 100.0 65        | 66.7 67.7       |
|                 | TOTAL UT(S)                 | 2029            | 56.7            | 2054            | 64.6 1630       | 60.6            |
|                 | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)           | 39827           | 34.2            | 47324           | 34.6            | 39.6            |
|                 |                             |                 |                 |                 | 47221           |                 |

Source: Crime in India

Note : '+' Combined data of erstwhile D&N Haveli UT and Daman & Diu UT during 2018

*' Data of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State including Ladakh during during 2018

Conviction Rate = (Cases Convicted) / (Cases in which Trials Completed) x 100