Delhi's Underutilized Paralegal Volunteers Raise Concerns in POCSO Cases

An RTI query has uncovered that only 50 of Delhi’s 194 police stations employ paralegal volunteers, significantly underutilized in POCSO cases. Despite Supreme Court mandates, only one POCSO case in 2025 saw PLV assistance. The DSLSA data highlights a pressing need for better deployment and training to aid child victims.

An RTI query has revealed that only 50 out of Delhi's 194 police stations currently utilize paralegal volunteers, with minimal involvement in POCSO cases. Despite a Supreme Court mandate to assist child victims, only one case received PLV assistance in 2025.

Data from the Delhi State Legal Services Authority shows PLVs work in just a quarter of the city's police stations. Surprisingly, their deployment does not specifically cover POCSO cases. The volunteers primarily serve under the 'Missing Children' project, leading to gaps in addressing sexual offense cases involving minors.

This issue prompted scrutiny from the Supreme Court, which mandated state and Union territories reassess PLV deployment. The court stressed PLVs' role in supporting child victims' initial legal interactions and insisted on reassessing the need for support personnel, ensuring the availability of trained individuals during investigations and trials.

(With inputs from agencies.)