ORDER :

1. The contempt proceedings, which have been initiated by the Petitioner, are dropped.

2. Let this matter be listed again after three months.

3. This matter has been listed pursuant to the direction given on 26th April, 2013, when the contempt petition filed in the writ petition by the Petitioner, complaining of the manner in which a complaint made regarding a missing child was sought to be handled by the concerned police station, was being considered. It has also come up on account of the other directions which had been given for implementing the various provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, as amended in 2006 ['Juvenile Act', for short].

4. On 17th January, 2013, when this matter came up for consideration, we had given an interim direction that in case a complaint with regard to any missing children was made in a police station, the same should be reduced into a First Information Report and appropriate steps should be taken to see that follow up investigation was taken up immediately thereafter.

5. An element of doubt has been raised on behalf of the State of Madhya Pradesh regarding the recording of First Information Report relating to a missing child, having regard to the provisions of Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 ['Code of Criminal Procedure', for short], which relates to information in cognizable cases. We do not, however, see any difficulty in the orders, which we have already passed. We make it clear that, in case of every missing child reported, there will be an initial presumption of either abduction or trafficking, unless, in the investigation, the same is proved otherwise. Accordingly, whenever any complaint is filed before the police authorities regarding a missing child, the same must be entertained under Section 154 Code of Criminal Procedure. However, even in respect of complaints made otherwise with regard to a child, which may come within the scope of Section 155 Code of Criminal Procedure, upon making an entry in the Book to be maintained for the purposes of Section 155 Code of Criminal Procedure, and after referring the information to the Magistrate concerned, continue with the inquiry into the complaint. The Magistrate, upon receipt of the information recorded under Section 155 Code of Criminal Procedure, shall proceed, in the meantime, to take appropriate action under Sub-section (2), especially, if the complaint relates to a child and, in particular, a girl child.

6. On the last occasion, when the matter was taken up, we were informed by some of the States that the directions, which we had given in our Order dated 17th January, 2013, had been duly implemented and affidavits to that effect have also been filed. Some of the information given therein is seriously objected by Mr. H.S. Phoolka, Learned Counsel appearing for the Petitioner. In any event, even if the figures shown are incorrect, in order to rectify the situation, we are inclined to accept the suggestion made by Ms. Shobha, learned advocate, appearing for the National Human Rights Commission, that each police station should have, at least, one Police Officer, especially instructed and trained and designated as a Juvenile Welfare Officer in terms of Section 63 of the Juvenile Act. We are also inclined to accept the suggestion that there should be, in shifts, a Special Juvenile Officer on duty in the police station to ensure that the directions contained in this Order are duly implemented. To add a further safeguard, we also direct the National Legal Services Authority, which is being represented by its Member Secretary through Ms. Anitha Shenoy, learned advocate, that the para-legal volunteers, who have been recruited by the Legal Services Authorities, should be utilized, so that there is, at least, one paralegal volunteer, in shifts, in the police station to keep a watch over the manner in which the complaints regarding missing children and other offences against children, are de