The government will now keep strict watch on orphanages and similar institutions that take care of children. The Social Justice Department has made it mandatory for all such institutions to register themselves pursuant to the Supreme Court order making registration a must under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Earlier, it was not mandatory for institutions that had been registered under the OCB Act, 1968, to register again under the Juvenile Justice Act.
According to Clause 41 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, which came into force on January 15 this year, all institutions that take care of children, irrespective of whether they receive government funding or not, should register themselves within six months of the Act coming into effect.
Institutions registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, will be deemed to have been registered under the 2015 Act.
Registration delay can land them in jail
Delay in registration will attract imprisonment of up to one year or fine of Rs.1 lakh or both. The law prescribes a penalty for each 30-day delay. It also fixes responsibility on officials for delay. There are also provisions for departmental action if applications for registration are not cleared in time.
Incidentally, the High Court too had made it mandatory for such institutions to get registered under the Juvenile Justice Act.
In its order, the Social Justice Department also laid down guidelines for registration.
All child care institutions have to submit to the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) concerned a detailed application, along with relevant documents, before March 31. The DCPO will issue receipts for applications received.
The DCPO will then visit the institution, verify the details mentioned in the application and forward his recommendations to the government through the Social Justice Director.
After examining the documents, the government will take steps to grant registration by June 15.
