Child Friendly Deposition Centers Inaugurated In Two District Courts of Gujarat

Following the establishment of Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centers (VWDCs) in Vadodra earlier this year, Justice Anant S. Dave, Acting Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court inaugurated VWDCs at Bhrauch and Surat District Courts of Gujarat on Saturday , August 31.These centers have been conceptualized in compliance with the directions issued by the Apex Court in State of Maharashtra v. Bandu @ Daulat and Sampurna Behura v. Union of India & Ors., with an aim to protect child witnesses and victims of sexual offences and other heinous crimes from influence of the accused side. These centers have a 'special exclusive entry' to the court room and are fashioned in manner so as to not pass off the look and feel of a 'conventional court' and intimidate the witness. They have two rooms, one is a Waiting Room and the other is a Deposition Room. The Waiting Room has an attached pantry, a washroom, a television with set-top box and kids' multimedia content and a collection of toys. The Deposition Room has audio-video linkage with the court room, an audio controller having wireless headphones and a display unit connected via CCTV. This technological implementation ensures that there is no direct physical communication between the judge, advocate or accused with the child witness/victim. A Support Person, present by the witness' side, will facilitate communication between the court and the child witness/victim by putting court's questions to the child in a friendly manner. This process will be live streamed on a display unit installed in the court and it may also be recorded, if required. The accused will be placed in the 'accused cubicle' having one way transparent glass with sight of the display unit installed in the court. The display unit installed in the Deposition room however will not show the footage of the accused to the child witness/victim unless the court directs so for identification of the accused.

Child Friendly Deposition Centers Inaugurated In Two District Courts of Gujarat

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