New Delhi: Expanding the scope of a petition, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought reports from all states and union territories on trafficking of children and management of orphan homes.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra issued notices to all the states and UTs, seeking their replies in two weeks.
The bench said the states should come with reports about how the orphanages are administered and treatment meted out to the children.
"Right of a child in a society is absolutely sacred, for the future of the country depends upon character and destiny of a child. State has a great role in securing such destiny and character," maintained the CJI.
He said that nothing is more disastrous than children being sold and hence a comprehensive view is the entire issue was warranted.
The bench also referred to the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, which laid down that children cannot be abandoned or parted away at whims and fancies of the person-in-charge of orphanages.
The Court was hearing a petition by the National Commission for Protection of Human Rights (NCPCR), which was aggrieved over an order by the Calcutta High Court.
In the HC, the NCPCR and the West Bengal government have been at loggerheads over the trafficking of 17 children, from an orphanage in Jalpaiguri.
The NCPCR blamed the local administration for the thriving of the trafficking racket but the state government questioned the jurisdiction of the apex child rights body.
Hearing the matter today, the top court decided to expand the scope of the petition and said it would scrutinise the affairs of orphan homes across the country.
The bench will now hear the case on January 22.
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