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[NEW DELHI, 10 January 2008] - India's Delhi High Court has criticised the central government for the delay in constituting a State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and asked it to give powers to the lieutenant governor to initiate the process within a week. Chief Justice M.K. Sharma and Justice Reva Khetrapal ordered the central government to speed up the work for constituting the commission. "Constituting a commission will bring smiles to thousand of children who were facing abuse at every step," said the bench while asking the government to take up the matter seriously. Once it is set up, a child can directly report any abuse to the commission. The powers of the commission, comprising six people, would involve launching an inquiry into "any violation of child rights" and "protect" children requiring special care, minors in distress, juveniles, children in conflict with law and those affected by HIV and AIDS, domestic violence, riots, communal violence and terrorism. The proposed panel would be in line with the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which India is a signatory. The 2005 law also enumerates the setting up of a panel at the national level too. The six members of the commission would include leading figures from the field of education, child health, juvenile justice, elimination of child labour, child psychology and laws relating to children. The bench also directed the government to take steps to constitute a "children's court" - also envisaged in the 2005 Act - in each district for "speedy trial of offences against children or cases relating to child rights". Further information