According to CACL executive member Ranjan Mohanty, the bill stops citizens from approaching courts if this fundamental right is violated and only allows them to complain to the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which has no judicial powers.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2009, which accords that right to children in the 6-14 age group, was given parliamentary approval Tuesday with the Lok Sabha passing it. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill July 20.

'CACL has been demanding the re-drafting of the bill when it was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December 2008. We have noticed that many of our demands were raised and supported by many of the members both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha during the debate,' Mohanty told IANS. It was unfortunate, he said, that the 'highly flawed bill' was passed without any of the suggested amendments being considered.