Underwhelming Use of Paralegal Volunteers in Delhi's POCSO Cases

Only a fraction of Delhi’s police stations have paralegal volunteers, with just one POCSO case utilizing their services in 2025. An RTI query points to gaps in deployment, despite a Supreme Court mandate for their role in aiding child victims during investigations.

In a revealing insight by an RTI inquiry, it has been discovered that merely a quarter of Delhi's police stations are equipped with paralegal volunteers (PLVs) to assist in cases including those under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Disturbingly, only one POCSO case in 2025 utilized their services.

Data from the Delhi State Legal Services Authority shows that these volunteers are not specifically deployed for POCSO cases, instead focusing on the 'Missing Children' project. Various districts, such as northeast and south, exhibit uneven distribution of PLVs across police stations, raising concerns about gaps in legal support for child victims.

The situation has prompted criticism from the Supreme Court, highlighting deficiencies in the PLV deployment and advocating for measures to enhance their presence and efficacy in sensitive cases involving minors. The court's directive pushes for states to verify and improve the infrastructure, ensuring legal aid is accessible when most needed.

(With inputs from agencies.)