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POCSO · In force

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012

Sexual offences against children.

41 sections · As amended up to 2026-08

Sections

  1. I — PRELIMINARY
  2. 1Short title, extent and commencement
  3. 2Definitions
  4. II — SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN
  5. 3Penetrative sexual assault
  6. 4Punishment for penetrative sexual assault
  7. 5Aggravated penetrative sexual assault
  8. 7Sexual assault
  9. 8Punishment for sexual assault
  10. 9Aggravated sexual assault
  11. 10Punishment for aggravated sexual assault
  12. 11Sexual harassment
  13. 12Punishment for sexual harassment
  14. III — USING CHILD FOR PORNOGRAPHIC PURPOSES AND PUNISHMENT THEREFOR
  15. 13Use of child for pornographic purposes
  16. 14Punishment for using child for pornographic purposes
  17. IV — ABETMENT OF AND ATTEMPT TO COMMIT AN OFFENCE
  18. 16Abetment of an offence
  19. 17Punishment for abetment
  20. 18Punishment for attempt to commit an offence
  21. V — PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING OF CASES
  22. 19Reporting of offences
  23. 20Obligation of media, studio and photographic facilities to report cases
  24. 21Punishment for failure to report or record a case
  25. 22Punishment for false complaint or false information
  26. 23Procedure for media
  27. VI — PROCEDURES FOR RECORDING STATEMENT OF THE CHILD
  28. 24Recording of statement of a child
  29. 25Recording of statement of a child by Magistrate
  30. 26Additional provisions regarding statement to be recorded
  31. 27Medical examination of a child
  32. VII — SPECIAL COURTS
  33. 28Designation of Special Courts
  34. 29Presumption as to certain offences
  35. 30Presumption of culpable mental state
  36. 32Special Public Prosecutors
  37. VIII — PROCEDURE AND POWERS OF SPECIAL COURTS AND RECORDING OF EVIDENCE
  38. 33Procedure and powers of Special Court
  39. 34Procedure in case of commission of offence by child and determination of age by Special Court
  40. 35Period for recording of evidence of child and disposal of case
  41. 36Child not to see accused at the time of testifying
  42. 38Assistance of an interpreter or expert while recording evidence of child
  43. IX — MISCELLANEOUS
  44. 39Guidelines for child to take assistance of experts, etc
  45. 40Right of child to take assistance of legal practitioner
  46. 42AAct not in derogation of any other law
  47. 43Public awareness about Act
  48. 44Monitoring of implementation of Act
  49. 45Power to make rules
  50. 46Power to remove difficulties