Bill drafted to regulate placement agencies, HC told

The city police Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that the Delhi Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Bill has been drafted to regulate placement agencies here.

The government filed a status report before the court that 1,754 placement agencies have been registered under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act.

It told the division bench of Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Manmohan that "the Delhi Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Bill has been drafted after incorporating suggestions of various stakeholders".

The status report said: "The bill was also sent to West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa for their views as a lot of domestic workers come from these states. The bill would be placed before the cabinet after the Delhi assembly elections."

The bench earlier asked the state government on compliance of its earlier directions on compulsory registration of placement agencies within a month. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by a voluntary organisation.

The high court held in March last year that the bill should be enacted within two to three months but nothing has been done till date, the plea said.

"In two sessions and nearly 25 sittings of the assembly, the bill has not even been tabled. The government is completely non-serious about the bill," said the NGO.

The petitioner sought immediate registration of all placement agencies operating in the capital to prevent alleged trafficking of women and minors by unregistered and unregulated placement agencies.