Juvenile justice board needed: Senior SC judge

A senior Supreme Court judge has expressed concern over lack of juvenile justice boards in many districts of the country and emphasised on proper enforcement of laws protecting children's rights.

A senior Supreme Court judge has expressed concern over lack of juvenile justice boards in many districts of the country and emphasised on proper enforcement of laws protecting children's rights.

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"In many places, you do not have the Juvenile Justice Board. The Chief Judicial Magistrate sits for one half of the day to take such matters," Justice Altmas Kabir said addressing a seminar on child rights.

The Juvenile Justice Act provides for constitution of a board in every district of the country to deal with "juveniles in conflict with law" - the children involved in commission of penal offence.

"Duty of our judicial system in our state is that the Juvenile Justice Board should be in such a state that it works effectively," Justice Kabir said, while detailing various provisions of the law, enacted to deal with juvenile delinquents.

He said we all should strive for betterment of the plights of children, who cannot speak for themselves.

"Most of us are not aware as what is to be done. It is also a question of sensitising ourselves. It is a question of understanding a child from our eyes," he said.

The seminar was organised by National Legal Services Authority and the Delhi State Legal Services Authority.