New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Union government to create a dedicated online portal under the Ministry of Home Affairs to trace missing children and coordinate investigations across states and Union Territories.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan noted the lack of coordination among police forces and child welfare agencies, stressing the need for a unified platform to handle complaints, share intelligence, and track progress in real time. The court proposed appointing a dedicated officer from each state to oversee missing children cases and upload information to the portal.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, was asked to seek instructions and report back on the feasibility of the initiative. The bench said a “coordinated effort” was essential to prevent trafficking and ensure swift action in kidnapping and missing children cases.
The court had earlier instructed the Centre to issue reminders to states and Union Territories to furnish complete data on missing children. Despite these directives, many states have failed to provide updated information.
The petition was filed by NGO Guria Swayam Sevi Sansthan, which highlighted unresolved cases of kidnapping and child trafficking. The NGO cited five incidents in Uttar Pradesh last year where minors were kidnapped and trafficked through networks of middlemen to Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Guria also pointed out gaps in the existing ‘Khoya Paya’ portal, arguing that a stronger, centrally monitored platform is crucial to protect vulnerable children.
