Government to regulate placement agencies

The government intends to regulate functioning of 650 placement agencies in Delhi and NCR regions to curb the growing menace of exploitation of workforce for child labour and prostitution.

The government intends to regulate functioning of 650 placement agencies in Delhi and NCR regions to curb the growing menace of exploitation of workforce for child labour and prostitution.

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Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium told a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Dalveer Bhandari that as per law, agencies were to be registered with the Labour Department under Shops and Business Establishments Act.

However, the same was being breached by most of them.

During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking ban on child labour, Subramanium said appropriate regulatory steps would help prevent incidences of child labour.

The bench also expressed its concern over India “becoming a hub” for child prostitution rackets.

It further said that courts should not grant bail to those who engage children in commercial sex.

The bench asked Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam to examine the idea of setting up a special investigating agency to combat the racket.