Assam to have child protection policy, juvenile justice rules soon: Govt tells HC

Assam is yet to draft and notify the policy and rules although the Juvenile Justice Act was enacted in 2015 and notified in 2016

Updated on: Nov 6, 2024, 13:10:30 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Assam’s child protection policy and the juvenile justice (care and protection of children) rules are likely to be settled and notified by the end of this year, the state government informed the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday.

The next date of the hearing has been fixed for December 18. (Representative file photo)

Senior advocate D Nath informed the same to a division bench of justices Kalyan Rai Surana and Arun Dev Choudhury during a hearing on a petition filed in 2019 by Bachpan Bacaho Andolan, a child rights body with headquarters in Delhi.

Assam is yet to draft and notify the policy and rules although the Juvenile Justice Act was enacted in 2015 and notified in 2016.

During the hearing on Tuesday, counsel for the petitioner, N Chaudhury, pointed out that in several judicial districts, juvenile justice boards (JJBs) have not been constituted and children in conflict with law are subjected to jurisdiction of nearest JJBs.

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The court directed the state government to submit a report informing whether JJBs have been constituted in every district, whether they have been constituted in accordance with Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and indicate the last date of tenure of members of 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 process is backed up by any notification of the state government,” the high court order read.

“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,” it added.

The next date of the hearing has been fixed for December 18.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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