HC tells child rights’ panel not to inspect buses during school hours

A Punjab and Haryana high court bench on Friday directed the Chandigarh Child Rights Protection Commission not to inspect the school buses for compliance of rules during the school hours.

The direction came from the HC bench of justice Rajive Bhalla during the resumed hearing of a matter, wherein the HC is monitoring the compliance of rules framed for the safe transportation of school children in the city under the “Safe School Vahan Policy”.

During the hearing, one of the counsel representing the city schools highlighted that the schools were being asked to send their buses to a particular place by members of the panel for inspection.

It was also alleged that such a move was resulting in harassment of the schools and affecting their academic work.

The HC bench directed the commission members to check buses either before the school hours or after the school timings were over.

They should send their representatives to schools and check school vehicles there only, the HC directed.

The bench further directed the panel to inspect buses of government as well as private schools and submit status reports on the next date of hearing.

Read: Contraceptives found in another Chandigarh school bus

Check eve-teasing in public transport vehicles, HC to UT

Another HC bench directed the city police to take steps to check incidents of sexual harassment in public transport vehicles. The direction came from the HC bench of justice Mahesh Grover on a contempt of court petition filed against the inspector general of police, UT, alleging deliberate non-compliance of the Supreme Court orders.

This was with regard to apex court direction to states and UTs to take appropriate steps to prevent incidents of molestation and eve-teasing in public transport vehicles like buses, autos and taxis.

Justice Grover exhorted the police to exploit technological advancements in this regard and use technology such as global positioning system for the same.

The HC bench also suggested that taxies must pick up passengers only at specified places/ points, where the government officers could note down particulars of taxi driver as well as those of passenger, his address and place to which he/she was travelling.

This would instill confidence in the mind of passengers and fear in the minds of taxi drivers.