HC Calls Out 'Callous' Approach

Questions child rights body's functioning, says vacancies in DCPCR must be filled in 6 wks

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @New Delhi

The High Court on Monday criticised the Delhi government's "callous" approach in addressing long-pending vacancies within the state's child rights commission, emphasising the urgent need for time-bound recruitment to restore the commission's functioning.

A bench led by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed alarm that the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) had remained non-functional since July 2023.

The judges observed that in the absence of an operational commission, in a strong directive, the bench ordered the Delhi government to ensure that vacancies within the DCPCR are filled within six weeks.

Simultaneously, the court instructed that appointments to District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) be concluded within eight weeks, expressing particular concern over the increasing problem of substance abuse among children.