The Tamil Nadu government is drafting a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to expedite the investigation, prosecution, and trial of sexual offences against women and children, the Madras High Court was informed on Monday, 22 June. The disclosure came during the hearing of a writ petition filed by a 26-year-old rape survivor who sought the court's intervention over prolonged delays in the commencement of her trial.

What the Government Told the Court

Advocate General Vijay Narayan, appearing for the state before a division bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, said the government has resolved to accord top priority to strengthening infrastructure for the speedy disposal of such cases. He noted that delays in sexual offence matters frequently originate at the investigation stage, chiefly because of the time required to obtain forensic science reports — particularly DNA analysis.

The Advocate General disclosed that several regional forensic science laboratories across Tamil Nadu currently lack DNA testing capabilities, causing significant hold-ups in completing investigations and filing charge sheets. To address this, the government intends to establish additional facilities and upgrade existing forensic infrastructure to ensure faster evidence processing.

The Underlying Case

The petition before the court concerns a survivor who was allegedly raped by two policemen in Tiruvannamalai district in September 2025. A single judge of the High Court had, on 4 June, dismissed discharge petitions filed by the accused. Following that order, the trial court framed charges against the accused on 17 June, and the trial is scheduled to commence on 24 June.

Push for Day-to-Day Trials

The Advocate General also urged the High Court to sensitise trial judges on the importance of conducting hearings in sexual offence cases on a day-to-day basis. He specifically called for strict adherence to the two-month timeframe prescribed under Section 346(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) — a provision that mandates time-bound completion of such proceedings.

This comes amid longstanding concerns from legal advocates and survivor groups that India's criminal justice system routinely fails to meet statutory timelines in cases of sexual violence, allowing trials to drag on for years and compounding trauma for survivors.

Court's Directive

Taking note of the state's submissions, the division bench directed both the Tamil Nadu government and the Registrar General of the Madras High Court to submit a comprehensive status report within two weeks. The report is expected to include data on pending sexual offence cases involving women and children, details of existing forensic and judicial infrastructure, and a roadmap of additional requirements needed to ensure speedy investigation and trial.

The court's intervention signals growing judicial impatience with systemic delays in sexual offence cases — and places the onus squarely on the state to back its policy commitments with measurable action.