Andhra Pradesh HC Orders Extension of APSCPCR Members’ Tenure Until New Panel Forms

Quick Summary

• The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the Secretary of the Women progress and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department to consider requests for extension by the Andhra Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) Chairperson Kesali Appa Rao and othre members until a new commission is appointed.
• Representations for an extension were made by Mr. rao and commission members T. Adi Lakshmi, G. Seetaram, and J. Rajendra Prasad after their tenure expired in April 2025.
• Despite submitting their requests in March and April 2025,they had not received a response from the government,leading to the filing of a writ petition before the court.
• The WD&CW Department issued a notification on September 4, 2025, seeking applications to appoint new APSCPCR members.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The directive by the Andhra Pradesh High Court underscores procedural accountability within state governance structures concerning commissions tasked with critical objectives like child welfare protections. In cases where an interim vacuum arises due to delays in appointments or administrative inertia-as appears evident here-the court’s intervention supports continuity to maintain organizational functionality until replacements are finalized.

The issuance of notification on September 4 for new APSCPCR appointments comes after months without resolution regarding tenure extensions requested earlier this year. This raises broader governance questions about proactive management within such departments when faced with leadership transitions impacting service delivery mechanisms related to vulnerable groups like children.

For stakeholders invested in child welfare advancements across India, ensuring timely succession planning alongside proper adherence to legal guidelines prevents disruptions while preserving public trust in institutional operations.

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