UP to bring children’s homes under juvenile justice Act
The Uttar Pradesh government is all set to bring illegally run children’s homes under law by registering them under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
This decision came after the Supreme Court pulled up the state government in December 2013 for being inactive over the Act for several years. UP is now in the process of registering these homes.
Home to over 400 children, a total of six children’s homes in Gautam Buddha Nagar district —Vishwa Nirmal Prem Ashram, Sai Kripa Bal Kutir, Father Agnel Bal Bhawan, branches of Udayan Care and Vineyard Children’s Home— have been functioning without fulfilling the registration formalities under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Section 34 of the Juvenile Justice Act and Section 71 of the rules ensures mandatory
AFTER THE SUPREME COURT ASKED FOR A STATUS REPORT ON CHILDREN’S HOMES ON DECEMBER 16, WE BEGAN TO IDENTIFY THE UNREGISTERED HOMES IN THE DISTRICT. A NOTICE WAS SENT TO SIX HOMES. SANJAY KUMAR, probation officer
registration of such shelters.
According to the district probation officer, Sanjay Kumar, “After the Supreme Court asked for a status report on children’s homes on December 16, we began to identify the unregistered homes in the district. A notice was sent to six such homes and we have received all the required documents. The file has been sent to the Directorate of Woman Welfare for registration under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.”
The Supreme Court had censured the Uttar Pradesh government along with other states for non-implementation of the Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 and Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. The apex court had ordered the states to file an affidavit giving status report by February 15, 2014.
The court had warned, “In the unlikely event of there being a non-compliance of any part of the directions issued by this court, an officer of the rank of principal secretary of the state government shall remain present in person in the court.”
The chief functionary of NGO Saikripa, Anjina Rajgopal, informed that the NGO had applied for the registration of children’s home under Juvenile Justice Act one and a half years back, but did not receive a registration. “We again applied for the registration after we received notice from the state,” added Anjina.