The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the city government for not framing draft guidelines on prevention of sexual abuse of children despite the Court order and asked it to file a response on the issue.
“What action have you taken in pursuance of our earlier order? Why is the order not followed till now? File the affidavit within two weeks,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice N. V. Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said.
During the brief hearing, the counsel for the Delhi Government said the guidelines were in the final stage and were with its Law Department for vetting purposes.
The Bench had on February 13 last year disposed of the PIL, filed by NGO HAQ Centre for Child Rights, after issuing various directions to the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR).
On being told by the DCPCR that a 15-member panel has been formed for developing guidelines on “Prevention of Sexual Abuse/Exploitation of Children”, the Court had asked the panel to frame the guidelines and put them before the Delhi Government before July 31, 2013 for approval and necessary action.
It had further directed the Delhi Government to take a decision within three months thereafter.
“As regards the framing of guidelines, we direct the said Committee to frame such guidelines before 31st July, 2013 and submit those guidelines to the Government of NCT of Delhi for approval and necessary action.
“On the guidelines being so submitted by the Committee, a decision thereon shall be taken by the Government of NCT of Delhi, within a period of three months,” the Court had said.
As the guidelines did come into being, the NGO moved the Court again for revival of the disposed of PIL.
The Court has fixed the matter for further hearing on February 2.
