Set up panel to protect child rights: HC to state

Set up panel to protect child rights: HC to state
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=247655

Tells govt to constitute children’s court under the 2005 Act to speed up trial in offences against children and related cases
Express News Service New Delhi, July 25:

WITH child abuse on the rise, help for the victims in the Capital may not be far away.

Taking a stern view of the “complacence” shown by the government towards protecting children, the Delhi High Court today urged the government to “immediately” set up a State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights under a 2005 law. Once set up, a child can directly report abuse with the Commission. It is similar to the ‘dial a cop’ system seen abroad,” Delhi government counsel Mukta Gupta said.

The powers of the Commission, which comprises six persons, involve kickstarting an inquiry into “any violation of child rights” and “protect” children requiring special care, minors in distress, juveniles, children in conflict with law and those affected by HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, riots, communal violence and terrorism.

The panel, if constituted, would be on the lines of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child to which India is a signatory.

The 2005 law also enumerates the setting up of a panel in the national level too.

The six members of the Commission would include leading figures from the field of education, child health, juvenile justice, elimination of child labour, child psychology and laws relating to children.

The Bench also directed the government to take steps to constitute a “children’s court”—also envisaged in the 2005 Act—in each district for “speedy trial of offences against children or cases relating to child rights”.

Chief Justice M K Sharma noted in his written order today that the Delhi government had not even once approached the High Court with a request to set up the children’s court. The court can only be set up in the Capital with the permission of the Delhi Chief Justice.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government today filed a status report stating that a second Juvenile Justice Board had been approved at Prayas children’s home on an estimate of over Rs 29 lakh, and plans were on to set up a third one at Nirmal Chayya home.

Submitting that around 3,000 juvenile cases were currently pending with Delhi’s lone Juvenile Justice Board, government counsel submitted the two new ones would substantially ease the backlog.

Acknowledging the report, the Bench said a Metropolitan Magistrate would be appointed expeditiously at the new Boards.