27. Child Welfare Committee.—
(1) The State Government shall by notification in the Official
Gazette constitute for every district, one or more Child Welfare Committees for exercising the powers and
to discharge the duties conferred on such Committees in relation to children in need of care and protection
under this Act and ensure that induction training and sensitisation of all members of the committee is
provided within two months from the date of notification.
(2) The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, and four other members as the State Government
may think fit to appoint, of whom at least one shall be a woman and another, an expert on the matters
concerning children.
(3) The District Child Protection Unit shall provide a Secretary and other staff that may be required
for secretarial support to the Committee for its effective functioning.
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(4) No person shall be appointed as a member of the Committee unless he has a degree in child
psychology or psychiatry or law or social work or sociology or human health or education or human
development or special education for differently abled children and has been actively involved in health,
1. Subs. by Act 23 of 2021, s. 9, for sub-section
(4) (w.e.f. 1-9-2022).
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education or welfare activities pertaining to children for seven years or is a practicing professional with a
degree in child psychology or psychiatry or law or social work or sociology or human health or education
or human development or special education for differently abled children.
(4A) No person shall be eligible for selection as a member of the Committee, if he—
(i) has any past record of violation of human rights or child rights,
(ii) has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude, and such conviction has not been
reversed or has not been granted full pardon in respect of such offence,
(iii) has been removed or dismissed from service of the Government of India or State
Government or an undertaking or corporation owned or controlled by the Government of India or
State Government,
(iv) has ever indulged in child abuse or employment of child labour or immoral act or any other
violation of human rights or immoral acts, or
(v) is part of management of a child care institution in a District.]
(5) No person shall be appointed as a member unless he possesses such other qualifications as may
be prescribed.
(6) No person shall be appointed for a period of more than three years as a member of the Committee.
(7) The appointment of any member of the Committee shall be terminated by the State Government
after making an inquiry, if—
(i) he has been found guilty of misuse of power vested on him under this Act;
(ii) he has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude and such conviction has not
been reversed or he has not been granted full pardon in respect of such offence;
(iii) he fails to attend the proceedings of the Committee consecutively for three months without
any valid reason or he fails to attend 1[minimum] three-fourths of the sittings in a year.
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(8) The Committee shall submit a report to the District Magistrate in such form as may be
prescribed and the District Magistrate shall conduct a quarterly review of the functioning of the
Committee.]
(9) The Committee shall function as a Bench and shall have the powers conferred by the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) on a Metropolitan Magistrate or, as the case may be, a Judicial
Magistrate of First Class.
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(10) The District Magistrate shall be the grievance redressal authority to entertain any grievance
arising out of the functioning of the Committee and the affected child or anyone connected with the child,
as the case may be, may file a complaint before the District Magistrate who shall take cognizance of the
action of the Committee and, after giving the parties an opportunity of being heard, pass appropriate
order.]
