Tamil Nadu to Create SOP for Faster Prosecution of Sex Crimes Against Women and Children, High Court Told

The Tamil Nadu government is developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to accelerate prosecution in sexual crimes against women and children, Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the Madras High Court on Monday.

Appearing before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, the Advocate General stated that the government has prioritised upgrading infrastructure to enable speedy investigations and trials.

He noted that currently not all regional forensic science laboratories in the state are equipped with DNA testing facilities. The government plans to increase such facilities to reduce delays in police investigations, which often stem from late receipt of forensic reports.

The submissions were made during a hearing on a writ petition filed by a 26-year-old rape survivor who complained about delays in starting her trial. The Advocate General informed the court that the petitioner was raped by two policemen in Tiruvannamalai in September 2025.

He added that a single judge of the High Court had dismissed the accused's discharge petitions on June 4, 2026. The trial court framed charges on June 17, 2026, and the trial is scheduled to begin on June 24, 2026.

The Advocate General also urged the High Court to sensitise judicial officers about conducting trials in such cases on a day-to-day basis to ensure completion within two months, as mandated under Section 346(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

After hearing him, the Division Bench directed the state government and the Registrar General of the High Court to file a comprehensive report within two weeks. The report must list facts and figures regarding pending sexual offence cases against women and children and the infrastructure required.