Supreme Court Directs States, UTs To Notify Anti-Human Trafficking Units As Police Station
The Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to take steps to confer police station status on Anti-Human Trafficking Units (ATHUs) by issuing appropriate notifications in accordance with law, emphasising that the measure is necessary for the effective implementation of its Victim Protection Plan to combat human trafficking.
A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan directed the Home Departments of all States and Union Territories to give effect to the direction at the earliest. It also asked the Union Government to take up the issue with all States and UTs and ensure that the necessary notifications are issued.
The direction came during an ongoing hearing in which the Court reviewed compliance with its May 29, 2026 judgment concerning human trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation.
Senior Advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for the petitioner, brought to the Court's attention that ATHUs needed to be given the status of police stations in accordance with paragraph 362(b)(iii) of the main judgment.
Accepting the submission, the Court ordered:
“In this regard, we direct all the State/UT Governments in their respective Home Departments to give effect to this direction at the earliest by issuing an appropriate notification, in accordance with law.”
The Court added that the Union Government “shall also take up this issue at the earliest with all the States/UTs and see to it that appropriate notifications are issued.”
The direction forms part of the Court's broader effort to ensure effective implementation of the Victim Protection Plan framed under Article 142 of the Constitution.
The bench noted that the four additional directions issued in paragraph 456 of its main judgment had not been fully complied with by all States and UTs. These include notifying recognised welfare institutions under Sections 15(6A) and 17A of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956; preparing State- and UT-wide lists of eligible social welfare workers; and designating Police Nodal Officers and Government Nodal Officers.
The Court said these measures were “absolutely necessary for the ground-level implementation” of the Victim Protection Plan and directed the Union to ensure full compliance by the next hearing.
It also asked the Union to collect information from all stakeholders on the steps taken to implement the plan and file a fresh status report.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on December 14, 2026.