DCPCR finds gaps in Juvenile Justice laws, invites general public's opinion

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has now started to identify, examine, and suggest measures for addressing procedural gaps in the implementation of various provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2016 in Delhi.

The child rights body has asked members of the general public to now give inputs in the matter. "We, in the commission, believe your inputs would go a long way in bridging these gaps to make effective implementation of provisions contained in JJ Act (2015) and Rules," said Anurag Kundu, chairperson DCPCR.

The DCPCR has also identified a couple of procedural and operational issues with the implementation of these laws, which include the absence of procedural guidelines for conducting regular inspection of jails meant for adults by the JJBs and the absence of procedural guidelines for transferring or referring a child from the Juvenile Justice Board to the Child Welfare Committee by declaring him and her as a child in need of care and protection (CNCP).

The DCPCR's findings showed that there was no standard procedure for declaring a person as fit by the

CWCs or JJBs and that there was no procedure for the inspection of institutions by Inspection Committees under the JJ Act of 2015.

"The Absence of legally binding guidelines for conducting Medico-Legal cases of Child Victims of sexual violence. Absence of procedural details for the functioning of the high-level committee under section 16 (2) of the JJ Act 2015," the DCPCR found, in addition to noting that there were no detailed guidelines for probe officers who investigate cases where minors are either accused or victims.

This year, till May, 664 FIRs and 173 Daily Diary entries were registered where juveniles were involved in crimes.