TN Govt invites application for child rights panel posts after 3 yrs

CHENNAI: To effectively address the crimes against children in the State, the government has invited applications to form the Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR). The applications for the posts of chairman and six members should be submitted before March 20.

Due to a legal dispute, the TNCPCR has been non-operational for the past three years. A case was filed with the Madras High Court after the state government, in 2022, dissolved TNCPCR, an independent body addressing cases related to children.

It is to be noted that the TNCPCR was formed in 2021 for a tenure of three years. However, owing to the case with MHC, the commission remained dormant during the remaining tenure.

As per the recent hearing in early February, the court asked the state government when it is planning to constitute the body with its members.

Subsequently, the government has invited applicants to fill the posts according to section 17 (1) of the Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights Act 2005.

The applicants are invited from the fields like education, laws relating to children, child health, child welfare or child development, juvenile justice, elimination of child labour, and child psychology, and those who have experience working with marginalised children or children with disabilities.

Further, the applicants for the role of chairperson must not be above 65 years and members should not exceed 60 years.

Meanwhile, among other clauses, the application has also mandated applicants selected for the post of chairperson and members should not hold any other position in government, quasi-governmental organisations, non-governmental organisations, or any other position whether for profit or not. However, this clause has drawn flak among stakeholders like social and child welfare activists.

Commenting on this particular clause, A Devaneyan, a child rights activist said, “The clause seems to be added after the MHC ordered the formation of the body in 2011. However, such a mandate is irrelevant to the current times.”

He further noted, “The clause urges candidates who do not work elsewhere to apply for the posts, but, it is unlikely that a person will forgo their income to apply for the posts which roughly pays Rs 50,000 per month for the position of chairperson and Rs 1,000 per sitting for the members.”

Subsequently, a previous member of TNCPCR noted that it could take a long time to reimburse the amount spent on travel. “Though the body is vital in monitoring key acts such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso), Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) and on child rights, there is a lack of infrastructure within the body.”