"If there is a will, there is a way": Delhi High Court on delay in appointing DCPCR Chairperson

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday took critical note of the Delhi government's failure to appoint a Chairperson for the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), despite the position falling vacant in July last year. .The Court was told that the file concerning the appointment was sent to a Delhi minister in August 2023, but that nothing further has happened till now.A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing the matter. .The Court was told that on March 27 this year, the minister concerned wrote on the file that the DCPCR Chairperson cannot be appointed now because of the model code of conduct (MCC) in force during the ongoing election season. Meanwhile, the counsel appearing for the Central government said that even though the MCC is in force, it does not affect appointment of the DCPCR Chairperson. "If there is a will, there is away. Will has to be there. Just imagine, from August to now nothing has happened," the Court remarked, in response.The counsel appearing for the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) informed the Court that the LG has made an interim arrangement. The Secretary of the concerned department is acting as DCPCR Chairperson as well, the Court was told. .The Court was hearing a plea seeking directions to the government to immediately appoint the Chairperson at the DCPCR. The post fell vacant in July 2023.The plea highlighted that there is nothing on file to show what steps were taken to fill this post between August 2023 (when a proposal to fill the vacancy was made) and March 27, 2024 (when the concerned minister citied the MCC as the reason why no appointment could be made). The petition, filed by an organisation named National Child Development Council, added that even the posts of DCPCR members have now gone vacant..The counsel appearing for the DCPCR suggested that the matter could be adjourned till July, when the Lok Sabha elections will be over and steps could be taken to fill the vacancy..The Court considered the case and issued notices on the matter. It has listed the case for further hearing on July 16..The petition has been filed through advocate Robin Raju.