BUDHADEV KARMASKAR Vs. STATE OF WEST BENGAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This matter was listed today in terms of the order passed on 23rd March, 2012. While considering the Sixth Interim Report, filed by the Committee appointed by this Court, we had noticed that most of the issues, which have been raised in the Report, involve the different Ministries and Departments of the Government, such as, the Department of Women and Child Development, Social Welfare Department, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. National Commission for Women, the National Legal Services Authority and the Delhi Legal Services Authority.

(2.) Pursuant to our request, all the Departments are duly represented. Mr. U. Sarathchandran, Member Secretary of the National Legal Services Authority and Ms. Asha Menon, Member Secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority, are also present.

(3.) We have considered the Sixth Interim Report and have heard some of the persons, who may have to be actively involved in finding solutions to the issues raised therein. Apart from Mr. Pradip Ghosh, Sr. Advocate, the learned A.S.G., Mr. P.P. Malhotra and Mr. Grover, learned senior Counsel, who represented some of the sex workers from Kolkata, based in Sonagachi, we have also heard Dr. Shanta Sinha, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Dr. Charu Wali Khanna, Member, National Commission for Women, Ms. Preeti Madan, Mr. U. Sarathchandran and Ms. Menon, on some of the problems that are faced by women, who have for some reason or the other been dragged into the sex trade.