NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court’s warning to the city government in February over long-pending vacancies in the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has seen little progress. Key posts, including that of the chairperson, are still vacant.

The court had set a mid-April deadline to fill these positions. However, there has been no official communication from the government regarding any appointments. The matter is now listed for hearing on April 15, while the issue remains unresolved. The post of DCPCR chairperson has been vacant since July 2023. It will complete three years without a permanent appointment this July, the longest such gap in the commission’s history.

The matter, which has seen repeated hearings and judicial nudges, is yet again listed for April 15, but technically hangs in limbo, even as the recent appointment of a new Lieutenant Governor raises fresh speculation that long-pending appointments may finally be expedited. The delay has drawn repeated judicial criticism, with the High Court expressing strong displeasure over the government’s handling of the matter.

During a recent hearing in February, a bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia reprimanded the Delhi government for attempting to justify the delay, remarking that it was at a “complete loss of words” over the inaction. “Keep progressing at a snail’s pace and scrap the (DCPCR) Act,” the bench observed, in an unprecedented remark that underscored the seriousness of the issue.

The court had also noted that from July 2023 to February 2026, the government had taken considerable time without arriving at a decision, later citing transparency in the selection process as a reason for the delay. The bench, however, found the justification unconvincing.

Meanwhile, speculation over the appointment had increased in December last year. Sources said the race had narrowed to IAS officer S B Shashank and advocate O P Vyas, a former Child Welfare Committee chairperson. Around 20 candidates were assessed before a shortlist was sent to the Lieutenant Governor.

Selection process

Sources said the race had narrowed to IAS officer S B Shashank and advocate O P Vyas, a former Child Welfare Committee chairperson. Around 20 candidates were assessed before a shortlist was sent to the Lieutenant Governor. Final approval rests with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

This story is reported by Ifrah Mufti