PATNA HIGH COURT PULLES UP THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR NOT FILING THE STATUS REPORT

In April 2021, Bachpan Bachao Andolan filed a Writ petition before High Court of Judicature in Patna for the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and various directions were passed by the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Sampurna Behura v. Union of India & Ors. The Court had also tagged Bachpan Bachao Andolan matter with the Suo Moto petition initiated by Patna High Court on the same issue.

BBA in its petition had highlighted before the Court about various issues, which includes State Child Protection Policy, Social Audit of Child Care Institutions, Rehabilitation of Children, and State Slandered Operating Procedure for Missing Children etc. In a previous hearing in the said matter, the High Court had asked the State to file a status report regarding the implementation of direction passed by the Supreme Court of India in Sampurna Behura Judgement and issues highlighted by BBA in the said petition.

During the hearing the Patna High Court pulled up the State for not filing the status report on the implementation of Sampurna Behura Judgement and have issued fresh directions to the State Chief Secretary to file a status report on the same. The Court  further directed that in case on the next date of hearing the Chief Secretary is found failing to comply with the direction, he shall be liable to pay a fine of Rs. 5000 which shall be deducted from his salary.

Advocate Name: Pragyan Pradip Sharma, Supreme Court of India