SC seeks govts' response on anti-trafficking board

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from the Centre and states on a plea for establishing the National Anti-Human Trafficking Board to rehabilitate the victims and expressed its dissatisfaction with the Union government’s efforts to coordinate with different states on checking prostitution.

A three-judge bench presided over by Justice A R Dave was dismayed after noting that the government informed the states about a month after on its order of October 30, 2014 seeking details about preventive actions taken in pursuance of its directions issued in 1990.

The court also took exception to the fact that the Centre had only written letters to states and not taken any corrective steps on the “evasive” replies by certain states. It also pointed out absence of clarity in the functioning of advisory committees set up in various states for eradicating prostitution and implementation of other welfare programmes to prevent child exploitation.

“What is this Advisory Committee? What does it mean? What is their term of reference? When do they meet? Are its members for life or a particular period,” the bench asked Additional Solicitor General N K Kaul while noting that in some states, these committees were formed in 2003 or 2005 but there was hardly any mention of when they last met.