Delhi High Court Seeks Response for Petition To Fill Vacant Posts Of Chairperson, Members In Delhi Commission For Protection Of Child Rights

Delhi High Court has sought response to the petition demanding immediate filling of vacant posts of Chairman and members in Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR).

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora sought response from the Delhi government, DCPCR and the Central government through the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

The petition filed by the National Child Development Council said that the functioning of DCPCR has been seriously affected since the tenure of Anurag Kundu (former chairman) ended on July 2 last year.

Advocate Robin Raju, appearing for the petitioner council, said that keeping the post vacant for so long is a violation of Section 8(2) of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights rules, which states that due to death, resignation or any other reason the vacancy due otherwise shall be filled by nomination within 90 days from the date when position was vacated.

The counsel appearing for the Delhi government submitted an office note to the court stating that a proposal had been made to invite applications for the vacant post and the file had been sent to the minister concerned on August 1 last year.

The court was further told that the concerned minister had written on March 27 that since the Model Code of Conduct was in force, the advertisement could not be issued.

The court was told, however, that Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has in the meantime made interim arrangements regarding the vacant post.

The plea said the council had written a representation to the Delhi government on February 9 requesting it to fill the post of DCPCR chairperson, however, no response was received.

It said the DCPCR is a statutory watchdog of the petitioner council on child rights matters and has also played an important role in monitoring rights, reviewing safeguards, investigating violations and advising the government on policy formulation and amendments.

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