Srinagar, Aug 21: J&K Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Jammu and Kashmir could not be constituted due to insufficient number of eligible applicants, the government has informed the J&K and Ladakh High Court.
Subsequently, a division bench of Chief Justice(acting) Tashi Rabstan and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi granted the authorities four weeks more “to place on record the steps taken” for the constitution of the six members commission. The court’s direction followed perusal of a status report in which the government stated that a committee, constituted for the purpose, convened two meetings on 2 and 8 August last year and upon scrutinizing the applications received, the committee shortlisted three candidates for the post of Chairperson and members of the Commission. The status report also revealed that due to insufficient number of eligible applicants, the commission could not be constituted. Reason for insufficient number of eligible applicants as per status report is lack of eligibility criteria mentioned in the rules.
Subsequently, the counsel representing the government sought and was granted further four weeks’ time by the High Court to place on record the steps taken for the constitution of the Commission.
