Wages can't be blocked citing misdeeds: Kerala child rights commission

The petitioner’s younger son had taken a pair of shoes from the shop, and owing to mental anguish over the store owner telling the elder brother about the act, the younger one had ended his life.

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed that the wages of children working in an establishment subject to the provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, cannot be blocked citing some misdeed committed by them. Acting on a petition from Premkumar, a resident of Muttil, Wayanad, the commission, comprising members K. Nazeer and B. Babitha, also directed the Labour Secretary and the Labour Commissioner to issue orders asking employers to follow the panel’s directions strictly. The petitioner had said that owing to financial difficulties experienced by him, his 18-year-old elder son had sought work in a footwear shop at Kambalakkad. He had worked there for six days and the petitioner’s younger son, aged 16, for two days. His younger son had taken a pair of shoes from the shop, and owing to mental anguish over the store owner telling the elder brother about the act, the younger one had ended his life. Alleging that mental harassment by the store owner led to his younger son’s suicide, Mr. Premkumar had sought an investigation by the commission and legal action on its basis.