High Court Unsatisfied With Steps Taken By Delhi Govt, Police In Running One Stop Centres For Women & Children; Issues Directions

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (July 23) said that it was not satisfied with the steps and measures taken by the Delhi Government and the Police in running one stop centres provide support for women and children facing violence in the national capital.

Issuing guidelines to the authorities, a division bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that necessary steps and action which are required to be taken in the matter have not been taken by the Delhi Government and the Delhi Police.

The centres were established to act as a central point for registering crimes against women and children and to offer assistance, including legal aid and medical support, to the victims.

Today, the Court directed that steps shall be taken to publicize and create awareness of the centres amongst all stakeholders, especially the police personnel, victims, their parents, NGOs working in the concerned area and public at large.

It further ordered that clearly visible newspaper advertisements shall be published in atleast two widely circulated newspapers in Delhi, both in English and Hindi languages respectively.

Further, the Court directed that signboards shall be displayed for creating awareness about the centres in the vicinity of schools, hospitals, railway and bus stations, police stations, market places and other conspicuous places.

“The said signboards and the newspaper advertisements, apart from containing necessary information and the facilities available at the centres, shall also disclose the helpline number to be contacted in emergency,” the Court said.

The Bench also directed that the SOPs developed for handling child pregnancies and child marriages shall be circulated amongst all, including police personnel and those manning the centres and appropriate circulars be issued so that the procedures so developed are followed and complied with.

The Court directed the Delhi Government to take steps to fill up all the vacancies in the centres, especially those against the post of counsellors.

It said that in case regular recruitment is likely to take some time, contractual appointments shall be made. However, it clarified that the appointee shall not seek right to have regularisation in service.

The Court also directed the Delhi Government to ensure that the personnel manning the centres are paid salaries on time.

“We also directed that the inadequacies in the infrastructure in these centres shall be immediately attended to by the concerned department of Delhi Government and all possible and adequate steps be taken to ensure that the centres do not lack any infrastructure,” it said.

Further, the Court directed that a nodal officer shall be appointed by the Principal Secretary in the Delhi Government's Department of Women and Child Development who shall coordinate amongst the stakeholders and departments to ensure that the centres function properly.

The Court was dealing with a PIL filed by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, represented by Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur.

During the hearing today, Kaur referred to a newspaper report published in Hindustan Times on June 24, concerning the situation prevailing in the one stop centres in Delhi.

The Court noted that the report, apart from mentioning the inadequate infrastructure available with the centres, also indicated paucity of staff to take care of victims and for whose benefits the centres have been established.

The Court observed that the one stop centres have been established to cater to the special needs to victims of crime which are vulnerable due to the nature of crime they have been subjected to.

“For this reason alone, we are of the opinion that keeping any one stop centre not adequately staffed will lead to failure of the objective which is sought to be achieved by establishing the centres,” the Court said.

The Bench has directed the Delhi Government to file an affidavit giving details of the steps taken to ensure compliance of today's order.

The matter will now be heard on October 15.

Title: Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India & Ors.