Overview
- The directions arise from a judgment on a suo motu case and a public interest petition by Bachpan Bachao Andolan and Sampurna Behura seeking enforcement of the Supreme Court’s 2018 Sampurna Behura ruling.
- All vacancies in the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights must be filled within four weeks, future appointments must start at least four months in advance, and the 2024–25 annual report must be published within eight weeks with future reports due by June each year.
- CWCs and JJBs must be fully reconstituted within eight weeks, CWCs are required to meet at least 21 days a month, and advance hiring for JJB, CWC and probation officer posts must begin four months before vacancies arise.
- Police reforms include constituting or reviewing Special Juvenile Police Units within three months under officers of at least Deputy Superintendent rank and designating a Child Welfare Officer of at least Assistant Sub‑Inspector rank in every station within four months, alongside revised training and periodic reviews.
- Transparency and monitoring steps require publishing missing and rescued children data on the Mission Vatsalya portal within three months, finalising and notifying JJ Model Rules within three months, preparing inspection SOPs, and completing the first round of social audits within six months, with annual audits thereafter.