New Delhi: Trials in POCSO cases L-G approves appointment of four special PPs

New Delhi : Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved the appointment of four special public prosecutors (RRS) for trials in POCSO cases, a fortnight after he recalled the file from the Delhi government over alleged delay, Raj Niwas officials said on Thursday.

There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi government on the matter. A Raj Niwas official said the government has conceded that the opinion of L-G shall be required for the appointment of Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) for CBI to conduct trials in Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases in various special courts of Delhi that has been stalled for over nine months.

“The file kept moving from the minister in charge to the chief minister since January and after the L-G, on September 22, invoked Rule 19 (5) of the Transaction of Business of GNCTD Rules (ToBR) and recalled all the files and proposals, they were submitted to him,” he said. “A fortnight after L-G V K Saxena invoked Provisions of Rule 19 (5) of the Transaction of Business of GNCTD Rules, 1993, in public interest and recalled the file pertaining to appointment of SPPs in CBI POCSO cases, the Delhi government, which had been inordinately sitting on file for more than nine months, finally sent the file for the L-G’s approval,” the official said.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier taken a stand that the L-G does not have the power to grant sanction for approval of SPPs in these cases, the official said. On receiving communication from the L-G secretariat requisitioning the files in this regard, the Minister (Home), GNCTD, sought an opinion from the Law Department which said the matter needs to be processed quickly to obtain the opinion of L-G so that the notification for appointment of SPPs may be issued under section 32 of the POCSO Act.