One Stop Centres starts functioning in Delhi Courts to provide legal aid to victims of sexual offences

One Stop Centres, a dedicated comfortable area located within court premises where victims of sexual offences can come for appropriate legal help and advice, have been operationalized in Delhi Courts.

One Stop Centres has been established in order to facilitate the best humane, psychological and medical treatment to the victims of crime both during investigation, trial and even thereafter. The First Tier of OSC is based in the Hospitals and Second Tier operates from the Court Complexes.

Senior Advocate of Supreme Court, Indira Jaising tweeted about the facility and said that other states must follow.

Stakeholders in Tier-II which has been operationalized in Delhi Courts recently, are Judiciary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority & District Legal Services Authorities, Department of Prosecution, Delhi Police, Department of Women & Child Development and Non-Governmental Organizations.

 Rape Victims, Acid Attack victims and victims of domestic violence can approach OSCs. Comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for “One Stop Centre in Delhi” prescribes following infrastructure for Tier-II OSCs.

• One dedicated OSC Tier-II shall be located in each of the 11 District Courts in 6 Court Complexes and attached with the District Legal Services Authority;


• It shall have dedicated comfortable Reception and air conditioner area with attached washroom;


• It shall be open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on all working days


• There shall be a dedicated room for the purposes of counselling, recording of statement u/s 164 of CrPC along with waiting area;


• Tier II shall be manned by empanelled Legal Services Advocate / Legal Services Counsellor of DSLSA under the overall superintendence of the Project Officer or Nominated Officer, DSLSA.


• As far as tier II is concerned, each victim of crime shall be assigned an empanelled Legal Services Advocate who shall work as her Permanent Legal Services Advocate till the end of OSC Tier –II engagements right through investigation as well as during committal and completion of trial of the case. Permanent Legal Services Advocate’s phone number shall be shared with the victim and her family;


• For recording of statement u/s 164 of CrPC, OSC tier-II empanelled Permanent Legal Services Advocates of DSLSA will accompany the victim to the Magistrate for recording her statement;

More about OSCs can be read here