A complaint has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development alleging serious administrative lapses by child welfare authorities in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district in implementing the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The representation seeks intervention by the Centre, alleging that district officials failed to take statutory action against multiple Child Care Institutions (CCIs) operating without mandatory registration.
The complaint made by NGO watchdog Legal Rights Protection Forum, addressed to the Ministry, is based on inspection reports obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act. It refers to an earlier complaint submitted to the District Collector on 12 June 2026, regarding orphanages and childcare institutions allegedly functioning without registration under Section 41 of the Juvenile Justice Act. According to the representation, the RTI response included inspection reports prepared by the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and the District Level Inspection Committee (DLIC).
According to the complaint, the inspection reports themselves confirm that several institutions were operating without the mandatory registration required under the Act, while others had been found ineligible for registration due to failure to meet prescribed standards. The representation states that at least 111 children were residing in such institutions at the time of inspection.
The complainant alleges that despite these findings, the district authorities did not initiate proceedings under Section 42 of the Juvenile Justice Act, rescue the children, produce them before the Child Welfare Committee, relocate them to registered institutions, initiate rehabilitation measures, or begin closure proceedings against the institutions concerned. It further alleges that no disciplinary action was taken against officials responsible for enforcing the law.
The representation specifically refers to inspection findings concerning Good Samaritan Children’s Home in Tanuku and Good Samaritan Children’s Home in Palakollu. It states that the District Level Inspection Committee had declined to recommend registration or renewal for these institutions after finding deficiencies in infrastructure and compliance with statutory standards. Despite these findings, the complaint alleges that children continued to remain in the facilities.
The complaint also cites the inspection report relating to the Palakollu institution, which allegedly recorded the absence of CCTV surveillance, fire extinguishers, mandatory statutory registers, and other required records, while noting that the institution was functioning from rented premises. The representation argues that these deficiencies raised concerns regarding the safety and welfare of children.
Further, the complaint names Kathleen Home for Orphans and Widows and Faith Vision Children’s Home, alleging that both institutions were operating without registration under Section 41 of the Juvenile Justice Act. It claims that instead of initiating statutory proceedings, the authorities accepted the explanation that the registration process was underway.
The representation also points out that the two organisations are registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and have reportedly received foreign contributions over several years for orphan care and child welfare activities. It requests that the matter be examined for compliance with the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
In addition, the complaint raises concerns regarding the monitoring of other institutions. It states that in the case of Grace Children’s Orphanage, although the management reportedly informed inspectors that the institution had closed in 2021, the inspection report did not indicate what had happened to the children previously residing there. It also alleges that in the cases of Nireekshana Orphanage and Blessing Home for Orphans and Disabled, authorities merely noted that the institutions fell under East Godavari district without indicating whether the matter had been referred to the competent authorities there.
According to the representation, the cumulative findings reveal a failure to implement the statutory child protection framework established under the Juvenile Justice Act. It contends that although authorities had identified at least 111 children residing in unregistered or non-compliant institutions, they failed to exercise their statutory powers to ensure the children’s protection, care and rehabilitation.
The complainant has urged the Union Ministry to seek a detailed report from the Andhra Pradesh Government, order a departmental inquiry against the district officials concerned, direct immediate assessment and rehabilitation of affected children, initiate proceedings against unregistered institutions under Section 42 of the Juvenile Justice Act, ensure strict implementation of the Act across the State, obtain an Action Taken Report from the State Government, conduct a statewide review of child care institutions, and refer FCRA-related issues to the Ministry of Home Affairs wherever appropriate.
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