Supreme Court Directs States and UTs to Give Anti-Human Trafficking Units Police-Station Status

The Supreme Court of India has directed all States and Union Territories to take steps to give Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) the status of police stations through appropriate legal notifications. The Court said this was necessary for the effective implementation of its broader Victim Protection Plan against human trafficking.

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan directed the Home Departments of all States and Union Territories to act on the issue at the earliest. The Union Government was also asked to coordinate with States and UTs and ensure that the required notifications are issued.

The direction came during the Court’s continuing review of compliance with its 29 May 2026 judgment dealing with trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation.

AHTUs are specialised units created to prevent trafficking, rescue victims, investigate trafficking networks and coordinate with other agencies. However, if an AHTU does not have the legal status of a police station, its ability to independently register and investigate cases may be limited depending on the applicable legal framework.

By directing States and UTs to formally notify these units as police stations, the Supreme Court aims to strengthen their operational and investigative capacity.

Human trafficking is prohibited under Article 23 of the Constitution of India, which bans trafficking in human beings, begar and other forms of forced labour. Trafficking offences are also dealt with under criminal law and specialised laws protecting women and children.

Why Is This Important for CLAT?

This development is important for CLAT because it connects constitutional law, criminal law and victim protection.

• Article 23: Prohibits trafficking in human beings and forced labour.
• AHTUs: Specialised units created to prevent, investigate and combat trafficking.
• Police-station status: Can strengthen the ability of AHTUs to register cases and conduct investigations.
• Victim protection: Modern anti-trafficking policy focuses not only on prosecution but also on rescue, rehabilitation and protection of survivors.
• Federal coordination: Both the Union and State governments have important roles in implementing anti-trafficking measures.

For CLAT preparation, the issue can be linked with Article 23, fundamental rights against exploitation, police powers, victim rehabilitation and the constitutional duty of the State to protect vulnerable persons from trafficking and forced exploitation.