Lack of action on child bonded labour: Delhi HC issues notice to state, asks for status reports on child labour schemes
Nirmal Gorana v Government of NCT of Delhi & Ors
WP (Crl) 1011/2018
This petition made the grievance that despite the rescue of children working as bonded labourers, the state has taken no action at all towards punishing their traffickers or rehabilitating these kids, which is in violation of several statutory mandates. It said that despite knowing the identity of the culprits, the state has not completed its investigation, filed a chargesheet or arrested any of them.
Further, in clear violation of the Bonded Labour Rehabilitation Scheme, 2016, the state has also not released any compensation to the rescued victims.
During the hearing on April 8, the high court issued notice to the state. It also accepted SLIC's request to implead the Union of India, the commissioner of police and the Delhi State Legal Services Authority as the other respondents in the case.
In addition, it directed the commissioner of police to supply a list of all bonded labour cases registered by the police in the last five years -- especially those related to child bonded labour.
It also directed the government of NCT of Delhi and the central government to file status reports on all available schemes on child labour.
The matter is now listed for April 24, 2018. We will update this case as it develops.