New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS): The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government on a plea seeking special courts to try sexual offences committed against children.

A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice V.K. Jain sought a response from the Delhi government and the department of law, justice and legislative affairs and posted the matter for May 1.

A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal also sought direction to the government to appoint special public prosecutors for these courts.

The PIL submitted that section 28 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 "mandates establishment of a court of session to be special court in every district" and section 32 "mandates appointment of special public prosecutors".

Bansal said the government had neither constituted special courts nor appointed special public prosecutors. The act came into force Nov 14 last year, it said.

The petition asked the court to direct the government to create sufficient awareness about the act and its provisions among the public, government officials and police.

"An estimated 150 million girls and 73 million boys under age 18 have experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual violence involving physical contact," Bansal told the court.