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The Delhi High Court has closed proceedings in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) urging authorities to take action against child begging. The court dismissed the case after the Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD) submitted a compliance report confirming the issuance and publication of the child helpline number, 1098, aimed at addressing child begging in Delhi.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Manmohan and including Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, noted that the report emphasised that any child in distress could seek help by calling the helpline. The court also acknowledged that the Delhi government had presented a detailed roadmap for rescuing children involved in begging, outlining the roles of various departments in the process. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had directed the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to ensure the widespread publicity of the child helpline number 1098 to combat child begging across the city. The PIL, filed by Ajay Gautam, called for measures to eradicate child begging in Delhi, and the court closed the case following the government's compliance with these directions. In his petition, Gautam requested the authorities to rehabilitate children involved in begging and to identify and arrest those exploiting women and children--especially toddlers, teenage girls, and young children--by coercing them into begging and criminal activities. Gautam further argued that despite the visible presence of beggars throughout the city, the authorities had not taken adequate measures to address the issue. (ANI)
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