NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi government for attempting to justify a delay of over two-and-a-half years in appointing a chairperson and members to the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), warning that the matter would be viewed seriously if vacancies are not filled by the second week of April.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said the posts had remained vacant since July 2023 and expressed dismay at the pace of the process. “More than one year has elapsed and you are trying to justify it,” the court remarked, adding that it was at a “complete loss of words” over the failure to keep the commission functional.
The government, in an affidavit, said the selection process was progressing and would conclude by April’s second week, calling it the “outer limit”. The court cautioned that if the timeline was not honoured, stricter action could follow.
Petitioners argued that DCPCR, which monitors implementation of the POCSO and Juvenile Justice Acts, had been headless for three years, undermining oversight. The plea said the prolonged vacancy violated statutory rules. The matter will be heard again in April.