NEW DELHI: No regular reports on instances of sexual violence, no commissioning of studies on missing children, no journals and no rescue operations to curb child labour. Practically, no activity has been reported by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) - a statutory watchdog of the Delhi government.
More so, the post of chairperson of the commission has been lying vacant since July 2023. In fact, it does not even have a single staff to keep the commission running.
In response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the National Child Development Council, the Delhi High Court in May 2024 issued a notice seeking a resolution to the prolonged vacancy in DCPCR. The PIL highlighted the detrimental impact of the vacant positions on the commission’s functionality since the tenure of the former chairperson, Anurag Kundu, ended on July 2, 2023.
However, the proposal to invite applications for filling the vacant posts has been pending since August 2023. Officials said that advertisements could not be issued since the Model Code of Conduct was in force. The HC issued notices to the Centre, Delhi government and DCPCR, posting the next hearing to July 16 since the advertisements could not be issued.
Despite repeated attempts, Kundu did not respond to the queries. Veditha Reddy, the director of education, also did not respond.
Ramesh Negi, retired IAS officer and former DCPCR chief, told this newspaper, “Similar situation had happened between 2015 and 2017 when there was a change in the government. The commission had no chairman for one and half years. The chairman was appointed after the high court’s directions. Earlier, the appointment used to be okayed by the Delhi government and the L-G, but now the MHA approves it.”
He added, “Tracing the children and their rehabilitation are DCPCR responsibilities. Now, reports on the missing children are left with the police. I hope the new government will soon work on it.”