It may be the end of the road for NGOs running child care homes without registration. On Friday, the Supreme Court directed the Union Ministry for Women and Child Development to ensure that unregistered homes run by NGOs and other organisations receive no funds and are finally closed down if they fail to register with the respective State Governments.
The order came on a PIl heard by a Bench of Justices Madan B lokur and UU lalit. The issue in question related to the effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act. Under the Act, it is mandatory for all child care homes to be registered with the Government. The non-implementation of this Act was brought to the attention of Court in a PIl filed by one Sampurna Behura.
The Centre, represented by Additional Solicitor General PS Patwalia, informed the Court that despite a communication issued by Centre to all States making registration compulsory, several child care homes in many States had yet not registered. “You must ensure not a single unregistered NGO gets funds. Get the work done by December 31,” the judges said.
If the child homes continue without registration, the Centre can only block funds but cannot close them down, as this power rests with the States, ASG said. In the event, if any such home faced closure, the Bench asked the States to make alternate arrangements for the children housed there.