Parliament has passed Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015 for trying juveniles as adults.
The bill was first passed in Lok Sabha in May 2015 and later in Rajya Sabha in December 2015. Now it will go for presidential approval to come into force.
Key facts
- The bill has provision that allows trying of juveniles between the ages of 16 and 18 years as adults for heinous offences.
- The legislation aims at ensuring protection, proper care, development and social reintegration of children in difficult circumstances by adopting a child-friendly approach.
- The bill empowers Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB) to examine the nature of crime and decide whether it was committed as a child mind or as an adult mind.
- Based upon the preliminary inquiry of JJB, juvenile offender will be either sent for rehabilitation or will be tried as an adult.
- The Bill also seeks to consolidate and amend the law related to children alleged and found to be in conflict with law and children needing care and protection.
- It also has provision for the establishment of Child Welfare Committees (CWC) along with JJB in each district. The CWC will determine institutional care for juvenile in need of care and protection.