(Madan B. Lokur and Uday Umesh Lalit, JJ.)
Bachpan Bachao Andolan _________ Petitioner
v.
Union of India & Ors. _____________ Respondent(s)
Writ Petition(s) (Civil) No(s). 75/2012, decided on July 31, 2015
The Order of the court was delivered by
Order
1. Learned counsel for the petitioner has brought to our notice a reply given by the Hon’ble Minister of Women and Child Development in Rajya Sabha to Unstarred Question No. 480. The reply was given on 23rd July, 2015. In terms thereof, the number of missing children is as follows:
S. No. | Year | Number of missing children | Number of untraced children | Percentage (%) untraced to reported missing |
1. | 2011 | 90654 | 34406 | 38 |
2. | 2012 | 65038 | 26896 | 41 |
3. | 2013 | 77721 | 41089 | 53 |
4. | 2014 | 73549 | 31711 | 43 |
5. | 2015 (upto April) | 15988 | 6921 | 43 |
2. It is pointed out by learned counsel for the petitioner that the figures that have been given in the affidavit of 27th April, 2015 filed by Mr. Naveen Yadav, Under Secretary in the Ministry disclose a completely different picture.
3. Learned Additional Solicitor General says that he would like to verify the information and reconcile it, if possible. We make it clear that if there is a discrepancy in the figures that have been disclosed to the Rajya Sabha and the figures that have been disclosed to this Court, action will need to be taken against Mr. Naveen Yadav, Under Secretary in the Ministry the deponent of the affidavit.
4. Learned Additional Solicitor General says that he has not been fully instructed in the matter with regard to various issues that have been raised from time to time in this case and requests for an adjournment. An adjournment is granted subject to payment of costs of Rs. 25,000/- to the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within two weeks. The said amount shall be utilized for the juvenile justice issues.
5. On the request of learned Additional Solicitor General, list the matter on 7th August, 2015 by which date we expect the learned Additional Solicitor General to be fully briefed in the matter.
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