The Supreme Court on Monday directed state high courts to file reports on all Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases lying pending with them.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, was hearing a plea filed by a lawyer.

The petitioner, advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, in his plea has sought the apex court’s direction to frame appropriate guidelines for the investigation and trial of the cases involving rape of children of one month to 12 years of age group under the POCSO Act, 2012.

The petition has been filed in wake of the recent rape of an eight-month-old girl in the national capital. The girl is reportedly stable now.