GUWAHATI: The Child Protection Policy and Juvenile Justice Rules (Care and Protection of Children) are likely to be notified by the year-end, the Assam government assured the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday.
During a hearing of the PIL filed by Delhi-based charitable trust, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, the senior government advocate, appearing for the state submitted that the State Child Protection Policy as well as the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules are likely to be settled and notified by the year end.
Bestowing trust on the Assam government, Gauhati High Court directed the state government to submit a report stating whether Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) have been constituted in each and every district of Assam.
The Court directed the government to also state in the report whether the JJBs have been constituted in accordance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Besides, the Court sought the last date of tenure of the various members of the JJBs.
“In the said report, it shall also be indicated if the JJBs where the proceedings of districts where no JJBs are constituted are taken up, whether such a process is backed by any notification of the state government so as to empower the JJBs of a different district to act as a JJB for the other district,” the Court noted.
The Counsel appearing for the petitioner and the Standing Counsel for the High Court submitted that JJBs have not been constituted in several judicial districts and the child in conflict with law is subjected to jurisdiction of nearest JJBs.
“Before parting with the records, we once again record our hope and trust that the state government shall do the needful to notify the draft Child Protection Policy as well as Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules at the earliest by expediting the consultation process,” the Court said.
The matter has been listed again on December 18, 2024.
In September this year, the High Court had directed the Assam government to take steps for the redressal of various issues and challenges faced by the Juvenile Justice Boards in the state.
During the hearing in that month, the senior government advocate submitted that one month more would be required to settle and notify the State Child Protection Policy and the Rules to be framed by the State.
“We hope that in the absence of the State Child Protection Policy and the State Rules in place, the state would inform all the stakeholders that till the State Child Protection Policy and Rules are framed by the state,” the division bench of the Court had stated.
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