Justice Mittal Suggests Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres in All Courts
Justice Mittal made it clear that the identity of vulnerable witnesses should be protected in every way, including their names, addresses, schools or any identifying details, in court records
VIJAYAWADA: Supreme Court of India-appointed Vulnerable Witness Committee (VDC) chairperson Justice Gita Mittal on Sunday called for opening Vulnerable Witness Deposition Centres (VWDCs) in all courts across the country.
She underlined the need for making courtrooms safer and more humane for vulnerable witnesses, while addressing a training programme for judicial officers organised by the SC-appointed Vulnerable Witness Committee in association with the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Vulnerable Witness Centre Committee at Guntur.
Justice Mittal emphasised the need for VWDCs to provide a safe, secure and child-friendly environment for recording the testimony of victims of sexual offences, children, persons with disabilities, and witnesses facing threats. Such centres, she said, will help prevent re-traumatisation of the victim, while ensuring that rights of the accused for a fair trial are not compromised.
The VDC chairperson emphasised that such centres should have child-friendly rooms equipped with toys, books and games, located away from regular courtrooms to reduce fear and anxiety. In addition, these must have dedicated and secure entry and exit points to ensure the safety and privacy of the witnesses. A designated support person such as a parent, guardian or counsellor should be permitted to accompany the witness during deposition.
Justice Mittal made it clear that the identity of vulnerable witnesses should be protected in every way, including their names, addresses, schools or any identifying details, in court records.
Calling for greater sensitivity in judicial processes, she said judges, court staff and counsellors must be adequately trained to handle vulnerable individuals. The use of simple and comprehensible language, age-appropriate questioning, and interpreters, sign-language experts and special educators, wherever required, are crucial to minimise trauma and ensure reliable testimony.
The VDC chairperson said vulnerable witnesses may appear not only in criminal cases but also in civil disputes, family courts, custody battles, paternity cases, and proceedings before Juvenile Justice Boards and Children’s Courts. She advocated the use of VWDCs across all jurisdictions.
Highlighting the difficulties faced by child witnesses, she revealed that repeated interviews, long delays, intimidating court environments, aggressive cross-examination and complex legal language often lead to secondary victimisation. In this regard, she suggested that existing judicial guidelines drawn from Indian law, international instruments and best practices from countries, such as the UK, Australia, Canada, and South Africa, must be followed from investigation to adjudication.
Those who attended the programme included Justice G. Rama Krishna Prasad, Justice R. Raghunandan Rao, Justice V. Sujatha, Justice S. Samatha, Justice V. Gopala Krishna Rao, and B. Sai Kalyan Chakravarthy.