'Giving Utmost Priority To Crimes Against Women & Children, Will Develop Mechanisms For Speedy Trial': State Tells Madras High Court

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday (May 27) informed the Madras High Court that it was giving top priority to cases of assault against women and children.

Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the vacation bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice V Lakshminarayanan that the government would be putting in mechanisms and proper infrastructure to ensure that the prosecution of cases regarding crimes against women and children would be conducted expeditiously. It was also submitted that meetings in this connection had already commenced and a detailed proposal would be ready by 2-3 weeks.

"The Advocate General informs that the government has taken up the issue of crime against women and children with utmost priority, and mechanisms will be put in place. Proper infrastructure would also be put in place so that the prosecution can be fast-tracked and the perpetrators can be brought behind bars," the court recorded.

The AG was making submissions during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by a rape survivor seeking directions to all trial courts in the State entrusted with the trial of rape and sexual offence cases to strictly comply with the mandatory two-month timeline under the proviso to Section 346(1) BNSS, and to ensure day-to-day examination of witnesses without the grant of unnecessary adjournments.

The petitioner informed the court that on September 29, 2025, while she and her family were travelling to Tiruvannamalai for a temple pilgrimage from Andhra Pradesh, their vehicle was intercepted by two police constables who then took the petitioner and her mother separately in the patrol motorcycle on the pretext of further inquiry. During the travel to a secluded place, the petitioner's mother jumped from the moving motorcycle and the petitioner was taken to a remote spot where the two police constables committed rape on her and fled. The petitioner took refuge in a brick kiln nearby and was admitted to the hospital. Later, an FIR was registered on September 30, 2025. Both the police officers were arrested, dismissed from service and detained under the Goondas Act.

The petitioner submitted that though the final report in the case was filed on November 4, 2025, the trial had not commenced yet. Pointing to similar delays in other cases, the petitioner had approached the High Court seeking a direction to the trial courts.

It was submitted that there was a systemic failure on the part of the subordinate judiciary in Tamil Nadu to comply with the legislative mandate to ensure a speedy trial for survivors of sexual violence and to cast a potent deterrent effect upon the predators. The petitioner also submitted that a prolonged trial was a severe threat to society since there was a probability of witnesses being subjected to intimidation. The petitioner also argued that a prolonged trial was against the personal liberty granted under Article 21 of the Constitution.

When the cases were taken up on Wednesday, the prosecution informed the court that the delay was due to a pending discharge petition filed by the accused persons. It was submitted that the discharge petition filed by the first accused was dismissed, and a revision against the same was pending. It was also submitted that the discharge petition by the second accused was pending.

The court, however, remarked that the pendency of the revision petition should not have stalled the trial.

"We fail to understand as to why the trial judge has not sped up the trial till date. It is true that a discharge petition filed by the first accused was dismissed and a review against the same is pending. Mere pendency of a revision petition need not stall the trial. Nothing stopped the trial court to start the trial," the court said.

The court then directed the court to decide upon the discharge plea within a period of 7 days from the date of the order. Following this, the court directed the trial court to conduct an expeditious trial, on a day-to-day basis and conclude the same by July.

The court also recorded the submissions of the Advocate General and decided to await the government's proposal for dealing with crimes against women and children. The matter was thus adjourned to June 22.

Case Title: XXX v Director General of Police and others

Case No: WP 20751 of 2026