Reporting of offences
Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 deals with reporting of offences. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) any person (including the child), who has apprehension that an offence under this Act is likely to be committed or has knowledge that such an offence has been committed, he shall provide such information to,-- (a) The Act came into force on 14 Nov 2012.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) any person (including the child), who has apprehension that an offence under this Act is likely to be committed or has knowledge that such an offence has been committed, he shall provide such information to,--
(a) the Special Juvenile Police Unit; or
(b) the local police.
(2) Every report given under sub-section (1) shall be--
(a) ascribed an entry number and recorded in writing;
(b) be read over to the informant;
(c) shall be entered in a book to be kept by the Police Unit.
(3) Where the report under sub-section (1) is given by a child, the same shall be recorded under subsection (2) in a simple language so that the child understands contents being recorded.
(4) In case contents are being recorded in the language not understood by the child or wherever it is deemed necessary, a translator or an interpreter, having such qualifications, experience and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed, shall be provided to the child if he fails to understand the same.
(5) Where the Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police is satisfied that the child against whom an offence has been committed is in need of care and protection, then, it shall, after recording the reasons in writing, make immediate arrangement to give him such care and protection including admitting the child into shelter home or to the nearest hospital within twenty-four hours of the report, as may be prescribed.
(6) The Special Juvenile Police Unit or local police shall, without unnecessary delay but within a period of twenty-four hours, report the matter to the Child Welfare Committee and 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.
(7) No person shall incur any liability, whether civil or criminal, for giving the information in good faith for the purpose of sub-section (1).
Section 19, The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (Act 32 of 2012).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Gangadhar Narayan Nayak @ Gangadhar Hiregutti v. State of Karnataka
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Judgement of Main Case order-6.pdf 2022-03-21 labelled. Crl.A. 451/2022. Indira Banerjee J. REPORTABLE. DATE-CHECK false positive on 2021-09-17 (Karnataka HC), 2018-04-19 (cognizance) and 2017-10-27 (news report) recited in the body; the document is the named 21 Mar 2022 merits (same Ghisalal/Thwaha/Eera FP pattern). Isolate: POCSO s.19 non obstante reporting duty applies to every offence under the Act including s.23 media-identity disclosure, so police may register and investigate without CrPC 155(2) Magistrate permission; s.23 itself prohibits naming a child victim in any media. Skip 31/33(9) (CrPC applies to Special Court trial, not a s.33 child-friendly-trial isolate). Do not pad CrPC 155. Do not pad POCSO 4/33/35.
On this section: POCSO s.19 non obstante reporting duty applies to every offence under the Act, including s.23 media-identity disclosure, so police may investigate without CrPC 155(2) Magistrate permission (Gangadhar Nayak).
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Made under this section, and citing it
1 instrument names this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 19
What have the courts held on Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act?
Gangadhar Narayan Nayak @ Gangadhar Hiregutti v. State of Karnataka (21 Mar 2022) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: POCSO s.19 non obstante reporting duty applies to every offence under the Act, including s.23 media-identity disclosure, so police may investigate without CrPC 155(2) Magistrate permission (Gangadhar Nayak).
How do I find court cases under Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Pocso Act 19, section 19 Pocso Act, section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Gangadhar Narayan Nayak @ Gangadhar Hiregutti v. State of Karnataka (21 Mar 2022).
What should I read with Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and has it changed?
2 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. One instrument names it without being made under it, most recently The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules, 2012 (2012).
When did Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act come into force?
Section 19 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, cited as Pocso Act 19, came into force on 14 Nov 2012, having been enacted on 19 Jun 2012. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 9. Aggravated sexual assault813 words
- 5. Aggravated penetrative sexual assault811 words
- 33. Procedure and powers of Special Court395 words
- 2. Definitions340 words
- 45. Power to make rules323 words
- 15. Punishment for storage of pornographic material involving child233 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.