Crime
SC Issues Notice on PIL Targeting Child Labour in Dance Bars and Spas
The Supreme Court of India has issued notice to the Union Government on a PIL seeking stricter prohibition of child labour in entertainment and hospitality-linked sectors, including dance bars, orchestras, spas and salons. The court also asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to frame a standard operating procedure for rescue and rehabilitation of affected children.
The Supreme Court of India has issued notice to the Union Government on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking stricter prohibition of child labour in entertainment and hospitality-linked establishments.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi took note of submissions made by the child rights collective Just Rights for Children Alliance.
The petition sought a writ of mandamus directing the Central Government to include employment or performance of children below 18 years in orchestras, dance bars, dance troupes, nautanki performances, massage parlours, spas and salons in Part A of the Schedule to the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act (CALPRA). Inclusion in Part A would result in a complete prohibition on child labour in these sectors.
The plea also requested the transfer of Entry 52 — which currently covers massage parlours, gymnasiums, recreational centres and medical facilities under Part B of the Schedule — to Part A, thereby converting the existing regulatory mechanism into an outright ban.
Describing the issue as serious, the Supreme Court directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the rescue and rehabilitation of children found working in such establishments.
The case highlights growing concerns regarding exploitation, trafficking and unsafe working conditions involving minors employed in informal entertainment and hospitality sectors across the country.
