Supreme Court Slams NCPRC For Filing Petition Seeking Vague & Omnibus' Directions Against Missionary Organisations: 'Strange'

The Supreme Court in the case National Commission for Protection of Child Rights v. StateofJharkhand observed and has criticised the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, NCPCR for filing the writ petition seeking "vague and omnibus" directions against alleged illegal child trade by missionary organisations.

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The court in the case termed the NCPCR's petition "strange" and said that a statutory organisation could not have filed a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India for such reliefs. Article 32 is intended to protect the fundamental rights of citizens and a statutory body cannot invoke it to seek relief against private citizens. In the present case, the petition was filed in the year 2020, wherein it alleged that illegal sale of children in the charity homes run by the Missionaries of Charity. The NCPCR sought a court-monitored timebound investigation of all "such organizations" in the State of Jharkhand. It also sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team in every State to investigate "similar organisations." Apart from Jharkhand, the NCPCR added the States of Arunac