Supreme Court Directs Action on Missing Children

Supreme Court Directive on Missing Children

Judiciary:

• The Supreme Court of India, through a ruling dated October 14, 2025, ordered the Union Government to appoint nodal officers in all states and union territories to address cases of missing children.

Key Actions Ordered:

• Each State and Union Territory must provide the name and contact details of the appointed nodal officer to be published on the Mission Vatsalya portal operated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Upon receiving reports of missing children via the portal, the information must be shared promptly with the respective nodal officers.

Legal Background:

• The Supreme Court’s directive followed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Guria Swayam Sevi Sansthan, a non-profit organization focusing on rising abduction and trafficking cases.
• Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan emphasized collaborative efforts between the Centre and States for efficacy in addressing these issues.

Mission Vatsalya Portal:

• The portal was designed to facilitate communication and coordination among police agencies across states regarding missing children cases.
• In an updated system, it integrates previous platforms, TrackChild and Khoya-Paya, with 14 stakeholders involved in missing children cases.

Stakeholder Responsibilities:

• Nodal officers are tasked with establishing a coordinated network across districts, states, and regions ensuring efficient dissemination and collection of information related to missing children.
• The court highlighted the failure of authorities to take timely action in child abduction cases, urging for practical and effective recommendations through consultations before the next hearing.

Timeline for Compliance:

• The Supreme Court has instructed the Centre to collate and upload details of the appointed nodal officers onto the mission portal within a timeframe of four weeks.

Concern Dimensions:

• The ruling points to a significant increase in cases of child abduction and trafficking, necessitating urgent and organized systemic responses.

This directive underscores the judicial commitment to child protection and the need for robust measures to combat increasing instances of missing children in India.