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Age of juvenile under law should be lowered to 14: Ajit Pawar
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has called for bringing down the legal age to define juveniles in criminal cases from 18 to 14 years
PUNE Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has called for bringing down the legal age to define juveniles in criminal cases from 18 to 14 years.
Speaking to reporters in Baramati, his assembly constituency, on Thursday, Pawar said he will discuss the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon.
Pawar highlighted a recent case where two 17-year-old college students allegedly killed a friend in Baramati, noting that under current laws, stringent punishments apply only to those above 18. He also referred to an incident in Pune in May, where a 17-year-old, driving a Porsche, ran over two people.
“Earlier, 18 to 20 years was seen as the right age for determining adulthood. But times have changed, and today’s children are much more informed. Young kids now ask questions that we couldn’t have imagined asking before the fifth grade. Some officials feel the legal age for juveniles should be reduced to 14,” Pawar said.
He further explained that many teenagers around 15, 16, or 17 are aware they can avoid harsh penalties for their actions due to their age, and this has led to a rise in their involvement in criminal activities. “This concern needs to be conveyed to the Centre when new laws are being framed,” Pawar said.
The deputy chief minister also plans to address the issue with chief minister Eknath Shinde and send a formal letter to the Centre.
