The Supreme Court warned of rising child trafficking, saying gangs operate nationwide and the situation could spiral out of control. It stressed that states and their home departments hold primary responsibility, even though the court can supervise also.
The Supreme Court expressed serious alarm over a rise in child trafficking, warning that gangs are operating nationwide and that the situation could spiral out of control unless state and union territory governments act immediately.
The court stressed that while it can oversee the issue, the primary responsibility for vigilant action rests with state governments and their home departments.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during Wednesday’s hearing,
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request,”
The bench criticized several states and UTs for a “lackadaisical” response to a 2025 judgment designed to dismantle organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan observed that successful recoveries in some cases demonstrate that the problem is solvable, but that doing so requires political and administrative will that is currently missing.
The April 15, 2025 verdict required a range of institutional reforms, including completing trafficking trials within six months with day-to-day hearings, strengthening Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs), raising investigation standards, forming state-level committees to monitor trafficking hotspots, and treating missing-children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
The bench had earlier dismissed some states’ compliance reports as “nothing but an eye wash.” On Wednesday it noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab still have not submitted reports in the prescribed format.
After Madhya Pradesh’s home secretary apologized, the court gave a “final opportunity” but warned that continued noncompliance could lead to states being officially labeled as “defaulting.”
The bench also said at least 15 states have yet to form the review committees required to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The case is scheduled to be heard again on April 29.
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