In last July, initiating a suo motu PIL based on news reports, HC had said it was "disturbed and shocked" by the incident and the treatment given to the girls. (File photo)
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court recently directed the state government to complete the recruitment for 13 of 36 posts of District Child Protection Officers and District Probation Officers under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 at the earliest within a period of three months.
The court also said that if every instruction by the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) were implemented, the incident of last year where nine girls from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Children’s Home escaped due to alleged harassment, based on which the suo motu PIL was initiated, would not have arisen and the officers are required to be sensitised to avoid such incidents in future.
In last July, initiating a suo motu PIL based on news reports, HC had said it was “disturbed and shocked” by the incident and the treatment given to the girls and questioned why authorities moved with “snail’s speed” without taking due action.
As per the news reports, the nine girls escaped the Vidyadeep Children’s Home in Cantonment area and allegedly damaged the property. The news reports had claimed the girls had attempted to make a complaint to District Legal Services Authority and had claimed the routine pregnancy tests were carried out whenever the girls complained of stomach aches.
A division bench of Justices Vibha V Kankanwadi and Hiten S Venegavkar was informed that earlier this month, MSLSA had organised a seminar/webinar on the subject “Nurturing Futures: Strategies for Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration”. It consisted of 670 participants including officials of District SLSAs, lawyers, para legal volunteers, officials of observation homes among others.
The MSLSA also claimed that it was taking every step “to ensure that every child has flawless access to justice, protection and justice.”
“The purpose of sensitising the officials of the District Legal Services Authority is to ensure that citizens, particularly children who have the right to receive legal services, are able to access them through the Legal Services Authority. If any such incident occurs in the future, all the officials should be prepared to provide appropriate legal guidance and extend assistance to the children as well,” the bench noted.
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It was informed that Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) are holding frequent meetings to ensure necessary infrastructure being made available and until completion of fresh appointments of CWC members in two months, the earlier members were continued.
The court was told that there was only one vacancy of District Protection Officer across the state and 38 vacancies of Protection Officer (Junior) at taluka level and 62 sanctioned posts of District Probation Officers, 56 were filled. The court asked authorities to complete entire recruitment processes for all such posts within three months.
The bench also observed that names of special police unit officials have not been conveyed to the Juvenile Justice Boards, who are required to be aware of their names to issue summons and warrants through these officials.
Seeking compliance of its earlier orders, the HC directed the state home department to file compliance affidavit before next hearing on April 2.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
