The Kerala High Court issued directions to ensure effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 as well as the directions laid down by the Supreme Court in the case of Sampurana Behur v. Union of India.
Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji issued the directions while delivering the judgment in two related cases – a suo motu petition and a public interest petition filed by Bachpan Bachao Adolan, an NGO founded by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi and its program director Sampurna Behura.
The petitions sought to enforce Supreme Court guidelines issued in 2018 that ordered states to strengthen child protection mechanisms. The court examined the establishment and members of the Kerala State Commission for Child Rights (KeSCPCR) and observed that lack of human resources could seriously affect its operational efficiency.
According to the court’s instructions, all vacancies in the Commission must be filled within four weeks, with the process of filling future vacancies starting at least four months before the vacancy arises, to ensure the effective functioning of the statutory body. In addition, the 2024-25 Annual Report must be published within eight weeks under the Commissions for the Protection of the Rights of the Child Act 2005 (CPCR Act).
A comprehensive multi-stakeholder Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or such guidelines must be prepared for annual inspection of all Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to establish an effective monitoring mechanism. The remaining process of reconstituting Child Protection Committees (CWCs) and Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) must be completed within eight weeks. In addition, a draft protocol for informing and rehabilitating children must be developed within three months.
Similarly, Kerala-related data relating to missing and rescued children must be made available on the National Mission Vatsalya portal within three months, while instructions must be issued to set up Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPUs) in districts and cities in areas where they have not been set up within three months, under officers not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. Arrangements must also be made to ensure that at least one officer not below the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector is appointed as Child Welfare Officer (CWO) in every police station within four months. Social audits must be carried out every year and the report should be submitted by the end of June. The court also directed that compliance be monitored by the Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development Department with the help of all relevant departments.
Published – 06 Nov 2025 20:57 IST
