Madras High Court child protection judicial reforms

Following the suicides of two teenage girls in Tamil Nadu in July 2026, the Madras High Court has issued directives aimed at protecting minors from secondary victimization during legal proceedings.

In response to the incidents, Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy ruled that child survivors in POCSO sexual-assault cases should not be repeatedly recalled for cross-examination, stating, “The child cannot be repeatedly called to relive the ordeal. As soon as possible, the child has to be healed.”

By August 2026, the court expanded its focus to judicial reform, calling for specialized training for judges presiding over POCSO Act cases. The court recommended that the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy incorporate practical exercises on interviewing child victims and suggested that judges approach victims with empathy, extending a “motherly hand.” Further recommendations included displaying notices in courts to prevent the unnecessary recalling of survivors and requesting that the Judicial Academy study manuals from the Karnataka Judicial Academy regarding the handling of child witnesses.