Members in NCPCR will be appointed in four weeks: Centre to HC

Three members will be appointed to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which is functioning below its full administrative capacity, in four weeks, the Centre today told the Delhi High Court.
The government's statement came when the bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar warned the counsel appearing for the Centre that it would adopt coercive process if the appointments are not made soon.
The bench listed the matter for February 13 next year and directed the ministry to place before it the details regarding the appointments in the NCPCR by then.
The Centre informed the court about the time, after it was asked to explain the "inordinate delay" in appointing the three members to the child rights panel.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation brought by advocate Radhakanta Tripathy, aimed at ensuring better administration in the panel for safeguarding the interests of children.
As per the statutory mandate under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005, the panel should have six members and a chairperson. At present, the child rights panel has three members. Stuti Narain Kacker is its chairperson.

The plea has said that inaction of the government in not appointing members of the panel over the years was "arbitrary, unreasonable and in violation of Article 14 (Right to Equality), 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution".

Under the mandate, fresh appointments must be made within 90 days from the time of the occurrence of the vacancy, the PIL has said.
The petition has said that non-appointment of commission members frustrated the mechanism for dispensing justice and increases the pendency of cases pertaining to child rights.
The NCPCR, established in 2007, is responsible for implementation of child rights such as right to food, protection of children from sexual offences and free and compulsory education, among others.