- (1.) On 18.02.2015, the Court, after reproducing the order dated 25.11.2014 had directed for verification of the records filed in respect of four States, namely, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Certain time schedule was stipulated in the said order. Mr. Neeraj Kishan Kaul, learned Additional Solicitor General, has already filed a verification report in respect of the said four States. It is submitted by him that the Committee itself has found that the report submitted by two States, namely, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh are defective. Let the report be supplied to Mr. Manish Kumar, learned Counsel for the State of Bihar and Ms. Pargati Neekhra, learned Counsel for the State of Himachal Pradesh. They shall file their objections, if any, within two weeks hence. Presently, we shall proceed to deal with the State of NCT of Delhi inasmuch as the Monitoring Committee had already verified the record of the State of NCT of Delhi and learned Counsel for the Petitioner had prayed for some time to file the status report in respect of the State of NCT of Delhi. Mr. Gonsalves, learned senior Counsel has filed the status report.
(2.) Mr. Gonsalves, learned senior Counsel, has drawn our attention to the sex ratio in Delhi which has been verified by the Monitoring Committee as per the population census. The said sex ratio relates to 2011 which reads as follows: "Sex Ratio as per Population Census The universal sex ratio of Delhi as per population census for all age groups taken together was 821 females per 1000 males in 2001 and it has become 866 females per 1000 males as per provisional data of census-2011. Children sex ratio (0-6) of Delhi went down marginally from 868 (as per census 2001) to 866 (as per census 2011). As can be seen from statement 1.3, at both points of the figures of Delhi were below than All India level. The district-wise scenario for the children of 0-6 years varies in different districts.
(3.) Mr. Gonsalves has also drawn our attention to the document which is 'Monthly monitoring of the sex ratio of institutional birth'. It states thus: "The data is collected on monthly basis from 50 major hospitals which accounts for 50.87% of total registered births in the year 2013 in Delhi. This helps to review the sex ratio at the highest level in the shortest possible time without waiting for the yearly indicators. The sex ratio of institutional births on the basis of these 50 hospitals was also 895 in the year 2013. Efforts will be made to increase the coverage of health institutions under the monthly monitoring system to make this exercise meaningful and truly representative of the ground reality.";