Serious issue, says SC as report flags child going missing every 8 minutes

As a news report claimed that every eight minutes a child goes missing in the country, the Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concerns over the issue, describing it as a serious issue.

"I have read in a newspaper that every eight minutes, a child goes missing in the country. I don't know if this is true or not. But this is a serious issue," Justice BV Nagarathna said.

Noting that the adoption process in India was complicated, the Bench – which also included Justice R Mahadevan -- asked the Centre to streamline the mechanism. The rigorous adoption process was bound to be flouted and people would go for illegal means to have children, it said.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, sought six weeks for appointing a nodal officer to handle cases of missing children.

However, refusing to grant six weeks, the Bench asked the ASG to complete the process by December 9.

Last month, the Bench had directed the Centre to instruct all states and UTs to depute a nodal officer to handle cases of missing children and provide their names and contact details for publication on the 'Mission Vatsalya' portal, operated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.