Srinagar: The J&K High Court directed authorities to place a calendar about programmes undertaken for sensitization and awareness about the J&K Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Act. The schedule of activities has to be submitted before the bench on May 11.
The court passed the direction after a status report on 10 October, 2019 filed by the Director, Information, J&K, Srinagar, informed the court that the Deputy Director, Central, has been designated as the State Nodal Officer in all districts and Field Publicity Officers (FPO) Jammu and Kashmir as Divisional Level Nodal Officers for executing the awareness programmes about the J&K Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Act, 2018 across the region as per the Calendar.
The court after recording the status report directed authorities to act in conjunction with the District Legal Services Authority. “A calendar of the programmes which shall be undertaken for sensitization and awareness shall be placed before this Court before the next date of hearing,” the division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur said.
Meanwhile a status report filed on 24 February was filed by Abdul Rashid Malik, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Srinagar, who was appointed as Coordinator for Kashmir about setting up of Vulnerable Witnesses Deposition Complexes in every District Court.
The court directed that the directions made in this regard shall be complied with and a further status report regarding creation of Vulnerable Witnesses Deposition Complexes and their operationalization shall be placed before this court before the next date of hearing.
A report in this regard is awaited from P D Kotwal, Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kathua, who has been appointed as a Coordinator for the Jammu. “Let a report be called from Mr. P. D. Kotwal, Coordinator for the Jammu Province,” the court directed.

NUSRAT SIDIQ