Supreme Court pulls up states for their inaction over child trafficking

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the States for their inaction and lethargy in not filing response on measures to prevent trafficking of children and for creation of a victim protection protocol for the rescued survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.

A three-judge bench of Justices Anil R. Dave, Madan B.Lokur and Kurian Joseph hearing a petition filed by an NGO Prajwala in 2004 expressed serious concern over the tardy response from the States and wondered whether they are behaving as if they are each a separate country by itself.

Senior counsel Dushyant Dave, who appeared for the petitioner along with counsel Aparna Bhat, submitted that the States were not showing any interest in preventing child trafficking and this was the reason for lack of response.

Justice Madan B.Lokur said, “I am unable to understand how states can say let Parliament go on passing laws, Supreme Court go on passing orders, We are not going to do anything. It is a State, it is not a country.”