Ban participation of babies and children in TV reality shows: N***R

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Ban participation of babies and children in TV reality shows: N***R


TNN, 9 February 2010, 01:59am IST

NEW DELHI: Sharp reactions to participation of babies and children on reality shows on television appears to have prompted National Commission

for Protection of Child Rights (N***R) on Monday to request the Supreme Court to order a complete ban on making toddlers a part of such shows.

N***R chief Shanta Sinha sat next to solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam as the law officer made a passionate plea before a Bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik to impose a complete ban on participation of babies and children in TV reality shows.

"These reality shows involving babies and children, by taking them away from their parents, cause irreparable adverse impact on the behaviour and demeanour of the young persons," Subramaniam said presenting a roadmap charted out by him in consultation with N***R and other concerned ministries for stopping exploitation of children and their trafficking.

He said the Goa Children's Act, 2003, providing for deterrence against exploitation of children, must be regarded as a model legislation by all states and the court should direct them to implement it till they enact a suitable law on the issue.

The SG was meeting the queries of the Bench anxious to stamp out the problem of child exploitation faced by the country. The Bench said the mechanism should include how to detect trafficked children, their rescue, locating their parents and finally, their rehabilitation.

Subramaniam said the first and foremost requirement was to sensitise the police in their approach towards children and the rescued ones should never be kept even in juvenile homes but put in the care of child welfare committees.