Delhi Government Reconstitutes Child Rights Commission After Three Years
On Tuesday, the Delhi government reconstituted the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) after nearly three years of inactivity, appointing a new chairperson and four members to restore the functioning of the statutory body. The revival of the commission comes at a time when Delhi continues to report a high rate of crimes against children.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Women and Child Development, Om Prakash Vyas has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Commission. The newly appointed members are Rahul Gautam, Kundan Kanskar, Swati Gupta, and Monika Sharma.
The appointments will take effect from the date the officials assume office. Each appointee will serve a three-year term or until they reach the prescribed age limit, which is 65 years for the Chairperson and 60 years for the members.
The DCPCR is responsible for monitoring child protection laws, examining complaints of child rights violations, and advising the government on issues such as child abuse, trafficking, child labour, education, juvenile justice, and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The Commission had remained without a Chairperson and members for nearly three years, leaving the capital's key statutory child rights institution without its leadership.
The revival of the body comes amid ongoing child safety concerns in the national capital. According to the National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) Crime in India 2024 report, Delhi recorded 7,662 crimes against children last year, with kidnapping and abduction accounting for 5,404 of those cases.
The reconstitution also follows a directive issued by the Delhi government ordering all 5,633 government, government-aided, and private schools in Delhi to establish Child Protection Committees by the end of July.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said every child deserved "a safe, dignified and a childhood filled with opportunities." She added that protecting the rights of children remains the Delhi government's highest priority and expressed confidence that the new leadership would work with sensitivity, transparency, and responsibility.
