THE MAHARASHTRA State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) is set to start operations after two years, as appointments of members and chairperson have been confirmed by the state women and child development department last week, officials said.
This comes after a PIL in this regard was filed by a parents’ association and the subsequent nudge by the Bombay High Court.
Officials said Susieben Shah has been appointed as the chairperson along with six other members. Shah has been the Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson.
The MSCPCR had remained vacant for over two years, leaving it practically non-functional all through the covid-19 pandemic, when children and their parents struggled with academic loss.
On February 8, two members of Maharashtra Rajya Vidyarthi Palak Shikshak Mahasangha had moved the Bombay High Court with a PIL. On March 25, observing the state government’s “complete lack of seriousness” in filling up vacant posts in MSCPCR, the HC had directed the principal secretary (women and child welfare) to give a timeline on the appointment of chairperson and members.
A division bench led by Chief Justice Dipankar Datta had passed the order while hearing the PIL filed by parents Nitin Dalvi and Prasad Tulaskar — whose children study in private schools — alleging that MSCPCR had been non-functional since May 19, 2020, due to the Absence of requisite number of members and therefore, issues faced by their children have not been redressed.
The court asked the government to take adequate steps to address concerns raised by the petitioners. It added that if the government was not serious, it will “entail consequences”.
On April 1, the principal secretary (women and child development) filed an affidavit before HC, assuring that the entire process of appointing the chairperson and other members of MSCPCR will be completed within six weeks. On April 4, seeking an affidavit on the compliance of its orders, the HC had posted next hearing on June 6.
“Finally, there is a ray of hope. Already over 1,000 cases are pending due to the absence of the members. But the apathy had led parents to lose their belief on the commission. Amid pandemic, children suffered severely not only in academics but also in other aspects but the MSCPCR was not there to address the issues,” said Tulaskar, founding member of the federation.
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