Supreme Court refuses to reduce juvenile age from 18 to 16 years

July 22, 2013

A bench lead by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir dismissed a batch of PILs which were filed in the apex court demanding that the Act should be amended and a minor involved in atrocious crimes should not be protected under the law. These pleas in the apex court were opposed by various child activists, including former Chairman of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) Amod Kanth.

As per Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, person is treated as a minor till he attains the age of 18 years.
The petition had opposed that sections 2(k), 10 and 17 of the Act which deal with the issue were illogical in context of the Constitution.
The petitions had also submitted that the Act needs amendment as it does not talk about the physical or mental maturity of a juvenile.
In one of the other petition it was mentioned that appointment of a criminal psychologist to resolve through clinical and medical examination if the juvenile accused in a case would be a threat to the society.

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