3 min readNew DelhiOct 20, 2026 11:41 AM ISTThe Allahabad High Court expressed concern that the district committees were repeatedly rejecting sexual assault survivors' applications on unfounded grounds. (Image generated using AI)The Allahabad High Court recently directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs 4 lakh in compensation to a minor girl in a POCSO case after the authorities rejected her claim on the ground that her medical examination did not reveal injuries indicative of penetrative sexual assault.A bench of Justices Shekhar B Saraf and Amitabh Kumar Rai held in the October 5 order that the District Steering Committee cannot reject compensation claims under the Uttar Pradesh Rani Laxmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh Rules, 2015, simply because no injury was noted in the injury report.“It is clear that the District Steering Committee cannot, under any circumstances, reject the claim of the petitioner on the ground that no injury was found in the injury report,” the bench said.The petitioner had approached the court seeking directions to pay compensation to the survivor under the 2015 scheme. According to the case records, the minor was subjected to sexual assault and charges were framed against the accused under various sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.The court noted that the survivor was eligible for compensation under the Rani Laxmi Bai scheme. “Clause 6 of the Scheme specifically provides that the victim should be paid a sum of Rs 1,00,000 within 15 days of filing of the FIR. and a sum of Rs 2,00,000 within a period of one month from the date of filing of the charge-sheet,” the bench stated. Justices Shekhar B Saraf and Amitabh Kumar Rai noted that the survivor was eligible for compensation under the 2015 Rani Laxmi Bai scheme.The court lamented that not a “single naya paisa” has been paid to the petitioner. It noted that the District Steering Committee had rejected the survivor’s claim on March 11, 2026, on the ground that the injury report did not reveal any penetrative sexual assault.The bench relied on an earlier division bench judgment of the high court, which held that the scheme requires the FIR, injury report and chargesheet to be available, but does not mandate that the injury report must establish injuries caused by penetrative sexual assault. It had further said that as long as the FIR and the charge indicate the offence under the POCSO Act, no further investigation is required to be carried out by the steering committee.Story continues below this adThe court expressed concern that the district committees were repeatedly rejecting survivors’ applications on unfounded grounds. “…we find that, on repeated occasions, the District Steering Committee is rejecting applications of victims on unfounded grounds, in direct violation of the orders passed by this High Court,” it noted.The bench thus ordered the payment of a sum of Rs 3 lakh, along with compensation of Rs 1 lakh, to the petitioner within seven days.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdAshish Shaji is a Senior Sub-Editor at The Indian Express (Digital), where he specialises in legal journalism. Combining a formal education in law with years of editorial experience, Ashish covers court developments and key cases for the audience. Expertise Ashish is a law graduate (BA LLB) from IME Law College, CCSU. His work at The Indian Express focuses on translating the often-dense proceedings of courts into clear, legal content. He also runs liveblogs from the Supreme Court and various High Courts. Industry Experience: With over 5 years in the field, Ashish has contributed to several niche legal and professional platforms, honing his ability to communicate complex information. His previous experience includes: Lawsikho: Gaining insights into legal education and practical law. Verdictum: Focusing on high-quality legal news and court updates. Enterslice: Working at the intersection of legal, financial, and advisory services. ... Read More AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement