NEW DELHI: Despite repeated rebukes from the Delhi HC, the capital’s top child rights body—the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR)—continues to remain defunct. For more than two years, the commission has functioned without a chairman or members, even as vulnerable children across the city continue to fall through the cracks.
In October 2023, and again in April this year, the Delhi High Court had directed the Delhi government to fill the long-pending vacancies within two months.
However, more than 90 days since the last directive, the government has neither made any appointments nor submitted a response to the court. The matter is now listed for its third hearing on July 23, raising serious concerns over administrative apathy and the state’s commitment to child welfare.
Advocate Rachna Tyagi, who is representing the matter, said, “There were similar cases regarding the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), where many vacancies existed. But after the High Court’s directions, some of those were filled. In contrast, not a single vacancy has been filled in the DCPCR. There are 5–7 posts that have been lying vacant for over two years, and only one additional secretary is holding charge.”
“We are expecting to get some updates in the next hearing scheduled for July 23. So far, we haven’t received any response from the Delhi government,” she added.
The post of the DCPCR chairman has remained vacant since July 2023. Meanwhile, the newly elected government has also stayed silent on the issue.
Ramesh Negi, retired IAS officer and former DCPCR chief, said, “A similar situation occurred between 2015 and 2017 when there was a change in government. The commission had no chairman for a year and a half, and the appointment was finally made in 2017 following court intervention. Earlier, the appointment was cleared by the Delhi government and LG, but now the file also goes to the MHA for final approval.”
The delay has drawn criticism from various quarters, including NGOs like Bachpan Bachao Andolan, represented by senior advocates in the case.