VidhiSangh

Bare Act · 47 sections

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO)

Chapter I — Preliminary

  1. 1. Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2. Definitions

Chapter II — Sexual Offences Against Children

  1. 3. Penetrative sexual assault
  2. 4. Punishment for penetrative sexual assault
  3. 5. Aggravated penetrative sexual assault
  4. 6. Punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault
  5. 7. Sexual assault
  6. 8. Punishment for sexual assault
  7. 9. Aggravated sexual assault
  8. 10. Punishment for aggravated sexual assault
  9. 11. Sexual harassment
  10. 12. Punishment for sexual harassment

Chapter III — Using Child for Pornographic Purposes and Punishment Therefor

  1. 13. Use of child for pornographic purposes
  2. 14. Punishment for using child for pornographic purposes
  3. 15. Punishment for storage of pornographic material involving child

Chapter IV — Abetment of and Attempt to Commit an Offence

  1. 16. Abetment of an offence
  2. 17. Punishment for abetment
  3. 18. Punishment for attempt to commit an offence

Chapter V — Procedure for Reporting of Cases

  1. 19. Reporting of offences
  2. 20. Obligation of media, studio and photographic facilities to report cases
  3. 21. Punishment for failure to report or record a case
  4. 22. Punishment for false complaint or false information
  5. 23. Procedure for media

Chapter VI — Procedures for Recording Statement of the Child

  1. 24. Recording of statement of a child
  2. 25. Recording of statement of a child by Magistrate
  3. 26. Additional provisions regarding statement to be recorded
  4. 27. Medical examination of a child

Chapter VII — Special Courts

  1. 28. Designation of Special Courts
  2. 29. Presumption as to certain offences
  3. 30. Presumption of culpable mental state
  4. 31. Application of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 to proceedings before a Special Court
  5. 32. Special Public Prosecutors

Chapter VIII — Procedure and Powers of Special Courts and Recording of Evidence

  1. 33. Procedure and powers of Special Court
  2. 34. Procedure in case of commission of offence by child and determination of age by Special Court
  3. 35. Period for recording of evidence of child and disposal of case
  4. 36. Child not to see accused at the time of testifying
  5. 37. Trials to be conducted in camera
  6. 38. Assistance of an interpreter or expert while recording evidence of child

Chapter IX — Miscellaneous

  1. 39. Guidelines for child to take assistance of experts, etc
  2. 40. Right of child to take assistance of legal practitioner
  3. 41. Provisions of sections 3 to 13 not to apply in certain cases
  4. 42. Alternate punishment
  5. 42A. Act not in derogation of any other law
  6. 43. Public awareness about Act
  7. 44. Monitoring of implementation of Act
  8. 45. Power to make rules
  9. 46. Power to remove difficulties

Source: official text.