The Parliament on February 02, 2024, issued the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to further amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In section 19, which states “Reporting of offences”, for sub-section (6), the following have been, substituted, namely:
"(6) The Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police shall, without unnecessary delay but within 24 hours, produce the child against whom an offence under sub-section (1) has either been committed or was likely to be committed, before the Child Welfare Committee and report the matter to the Special Court or where no Special Court has been designated, to the Court of Session, including need of the child for care and protection and steps taken in this regard:
Provided that on the production of the child, the Child Welfare Committee shall conduct an inquiry from the child in the manner as prescribed under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015."
• In section 21, which states “Punishment for failure to report or record a case”, for sub-section (2), the following have been substituted, namely:
"(2) Any person, being in charge of any company or an institution (by whatever name called) who fails to report the commission of an offence under sub-section (1) of section 19 in respect of a subordinate under his control or an apprehension that such an offence is likely to be committed or the knowledge that such an offence has been committed, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 1 year and with fine."
For further details, kindly refer to the document attached.
[BILL NO. XVI OF 2024]
