Guwahati, Dec 20 (PTI) Over 4.5 lakh cases are pending in the courts across Assam, including the Gauhati High Court, the state assembly was informed on Monday. In a written reply to a query by AIUDF MLA Ashraful Hussain, the Judicial Department of the Assam government said 41,313 cases are pending in the high court and 4,13,627 cases are under trial in lower courts. Various courts are established in every district and sub-divisions to clear the pending cases, it stated. Seventeen special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) courts have also been set up to try cases related to sexual exploitations on children. On the reason for such pendency, the department said the courts could not function since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and they are trying to dispose of the cases now. PTI TR NN NN