New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the city government’s failure to appoint the chairperson and members in the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) despite its assurance to fill the vacant posts by mid-April.
Pulling up the government for its “apathy,” a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that the officials were not “respecting” their own statements on making the Commission functional after three years of vacancies.
In February, the Delhi government filed an affidavit stating that the process for appointing the chairperson and members would likely conclude by the second week of April.
“The kind of apathy, at least we don’t find anywhere else. If it is deliberate, it is more dangerous. For three years, this Commission is non-functional. See the functions of this Commission,” the bench observed.
It further said that DCPCR was established through an enactment, not by an order of the court, and authorities were not even following the legislature’s mandate.
“While enacting the law, you blow trumpets. The Juvenile Justice Act was enacted when? Eleven years and we are still struggling to get it implemented. You will not form the Child Welfare Committee. You will not have a selection committee,” the bench added.
The Delhi government counsel said there were “no excuses” and sought six more weeks to make the appointments.
He said the file was pending with the “highest authority” for a final decision and a formal application seeking an extension of time to conclude the process had also been filed.
“Despite such orders passed by us.. who will be answerable for such delay now? We don’t want to use harsher words. There is no defence available.
“Since October 2024, you are asking (for time). Don’t push us against the wall like this,” the court told the counsel.
The court advanced the hearing date in the matter from July 3 to May 22 and asked the government counsel to take steps to bring the application seeking more time to make the appointments on record.
On February 18, the court had reprimanded the Delhi government for “attempting to justify” the delay of over two and a half years in appointing the chairperson and members in the DCPCR and said the matter would be “viewed seriously” if the vacant posts were not filled by mid- April.
Asking the Delhi government to “re-think”, the bench had observed that it was at a “complete loss of words” on the authorities’ failure to ensure that the Commission remained functional after 2023. PTI ADS RT
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