HP HC upholds govt order to close unregistered children homes

Himachal Pradesh High Court today upheld the orders of the state government to close down children homes not registered under Juvenile Justice Act and asked it to provide boarding and lodging to the inmates within a week.
Justice Rajiv Sharma issued the order on a petition filed by an NGO, Umang Foundation, highlighting the hardships caused to the inmates of the 23 children homes, which were ordered to be closed down by Director, Women and Child Development on January 22 for not being registered under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Upholding the government's decision, the court said, "There was no illegality in the order as the institutions are required to be registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, but as the inmates of these homes are either orphans or belonging to lowest strata of society, they were required to be provided boarding and lodging to mitigate their hardships and to avoid disruption of their studies as the annual examinations are also near."

The court directed the Secretary (Social Justice and Empowerment) to provide boarding and lodging to the inmates of the institutions within one week in the nearby government run Bal Ashrams or Balika Ashrams.