Today the Supreme Court announced a plan of action for the effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act. The Apex Court ordered the Center and States to ensure the positions in the National and State Commissions for the protection of child rights are filled.
The order came from a Bench with Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta. They directed the States to fill up all the positions in the juvenile justice boards and Child Welfare Committees. The Bench said this was essential as any delay would impact the children and must be avoided.
The Apex Court also directed the Chief Justices of all the High Courts to register their own proceedings for better implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015. It further suggested all the High Courts consider child friendly courts to be established in each district.
The Bench said, “The Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India and the State Governments should ensure that all positions in the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPR) are filled up well in time and adequate staff is provided to these statutory bodies so that they can function effectively and meaningfully for the benefit of the children.”
The judgment was made on a Public Interest Litigation that asked for the proper implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act and its rules.
