Srinagar: The High Court of J&K & Ladakh has directed the Union territory administration to place on record, within four weeks, the steps it has taken for the constitution of Commission for Protection of Child Rights in the region.
Earlier the counsel for the respondent authorities sought time to inform the court about the initiatives it has taken for the formation of Commission for Protection of Child Rights affected due to the re-organisation of the former state in 2019.
Acting Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi while hearing a PIL on the issue directed the respondent authorities to place on record within four weeks the steps it has taken for the constitution of the Commission.
A status report had been filed by the official counsel contending therein that a committee has been constituted for the purpose.
“It has convened two meetings on 02.08.2023 and 08.08.2023 and upon scrutinizing the applications received, it shortlisted three candidates for the post of chairperson and four for the post of members, with two candidates being considered for both posts,” said the report.
It further claimed “that due to insufficient number of eligible applicants, the six member commission could not be constituted because of lack of eligibility criteria mentioned in the rules. The committee after thorough deliberations recommended the eligibility criteria as well as process for the appointment to the said posts to the competent authority, the approval for which is awaited”.
Considering its important statutory role, the High Court early this year had directed the authorities to intimate it “without fail” about the status regarding the constitution of J&K Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The court observed “we take this matter with utmost seriousness it deserves in view of the important statutory role the commission plays”.
A recent official notice read “… the advertisement notice issued under endorsement No. SWD-ICPS/55/2021, dated 15.6.2023 read with public notice issued under endorsement No. SWD-ICPS/55/2021 dated 15.6.2023 by the Department of Social Welfare, J&K, for the appointment of one chairperson and six members of the Jammu & Kashmir Commission for Protection of Child Rights, is hereby withdrawn ab-initio.”
In June last year, the administration had invited applications for the constitution of the child rights body in the UT. It did constitute a three-member selection panel for filling these posts. Headed by the Chief Secretary, the committee comprised administrative secretaries of Social Welfare and Law departments.
