Centre Must Set Up Special Cell to Monitor Child Labour Law Enforcement, Rules Supreme Court in Health for Millions v. Union of India
Case: Health for Millions v. Union of India
Date of Judgment: 04 November 2026
Court: Supreme Court of India
Coram: Justice S.V.N. Bhatti and Justice N.V. Anjaria
Proceedings: Writ Petition (C) No. 501 of 2009
Court Observation
“With a view to preserving the rights of children/adolescents, we direct the second respondent to constitute a special cell, continue to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Act and also issue direction to the enforcing agencies through the respective chief secretaries of the State, as amended through the Act No.35 of 2016,”
Summary
The Supreme Court has directed the Union Government to constitute a special cell to monitor the implementation of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and ensure its provisions are strictly enforced across the country. The Court directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to constitute the cell, continue monitoring implementation, and issue directions to enforcement agencies through the chief secretaries of the states.
The directions were issued while disposing of a writ petition filed in 2009 by the NGO Health for Millions, which had questioned the constitutional validity of provisions of the 1986 legislation, particularly Section 3, which originally prohibited the employment of children only in specified hazardous occupations. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, which came into force on 1 September 2016, widened the prohibition, and the Court said the focus must now be on giving full effect to those changes.
Key Holdings
- The Union Government must constitute a dedicated special cell to oversee implementation of the child labour law and ensure strict compliance with its provisions, including the amendments introduced in 2016.
- Directions to enforcement agencies must be issued through the chief secretaries of the respective states so that the amended law is effectively implemented.
- The respondents are responsible for ensuring complete and strict compliance with the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, as amended by Act No. 35 of 2016.
Directions Issued
- The Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, is to constitute a special cell and continue to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Act.
- The Ministry is to issue directions to the enforcing agencies through the respective chief secretaries of the states.
Background
The writ petition was filed in 2009 by the NGO Health for Millions, challenging provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, particularly Section 3. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 (Act No. 35 of 2016), amended the principal Act and came into force on 1 September 2016, prohibiting the employment of children below 14 years in all occupations except family enterprises and barring adolescents from hazardous occupations.
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Disclaimer: This is a summary prepared for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should refer to the official judgment for the authoritative text.
