Survey on children selling things at traffic signals is not to prejudice them but to ensure they are imparted education: Karnataka High Court

The object of a survey undertaken at the behest of Karnataka High Court to identify homeless children selling products at traffic junctions, is not to penalise anyone but to ensure that such children are imparted education, the Karnataka High Court said on Thursday. .The exercise should not be misunderstood as intending to cause harm or prejudice to such children, the Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and SS Magadum underscored. .“Object of the survey is not to penalize anyone. The idea is that children forced to sell things at traffic signals must be imparted education,” the Court said..The Court was hearing a plea seeking prohibition of children from selling products at traffic junctions in Bengaluru..Elaborating on the survey's object, the Court emphasised that the exercise is not to cause any harm to anybody. “We wish to make it clear that, though all stakeholders such as traffic police, SAPU – will be involved in the survey, object of this exercise is only to collect data. This exercise should not be misunderstood to penalize anybody, or cause harm or prejudice to any children who already belong to vulnerable group of children.”.During the hearing, the Court was told that two members of the special juvenile police units along with members of the Data Collection Teams (DCT) team would be conducting the survey. However, the police officers will remain in civil clothes, it was added.The Court further said that only after the survey is done, should further action be initiated..Karnataka High Court asks KSLSA for scheme on identification of destitute children after noting inaction on part of State and BBMP .During the hearing, the Court was apprised that the parents/guardians of children may have many apprehensions regarding the survey. Keeping this in mind, the Court said that it would be necessary to sensitize the "persons with children" on the object of survey..“The object of the survey is to render all possible assistance to vulnerable children and especially, the aspect of education," the Court reiterated. .Further, the Bench deemed it appropriate to add that setting timelines for the survey would not be necessary as of now.“Don’t have timelines for data conducting survey and data collection. Nobody is in a hurry,” the Court orally remarked. The Court also extended a word of appreciation to all the senior officers, experts, members of Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) and Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who took part in the hearing on Thursday. .As the hearing drew to a close, the Bench opined that every stakeholder must remember that the aim is to educate the children in the light of Right to Education Act, 2005. .We have identified 886 vulnerable children selling products at traffic signals from 432 hotspots: KSLSA tells Karnataka High Court.Previously, KSLSA had informed the Karnataka High Court that it had identified 886 vulnerable children selling products at traffic signals from 432 hotspots.