Conduct Sensitization Session For Magistrates Of Juvenile Justice Boards At State Judicial Academy: Rajasthan High Court

The Bench of Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Devendra Kachhawaha was hearing a suo moto petition initiated to ensure that the fundamental rights of hearing disabled children are not infringed and that they receive their rightful entitlements.

During the course of the last hearing, the Court had expressed its displeasure at the vacant posts in the various Juvenile Justice Boards and had remarked,

"This is indeed a pathetic state of affairs and it is beyond compulsion as how the Juvenile Justice Boards would be functioning without appropriate staff."

On 15^th March, the Court was apprised that the bail applications of the children in conflict with the law are not being decided in the letter and spirit of the statutory provision i.e., Section 12 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

It was also submitted before the Court that at numerous places in Rajasthan State, Chief Judicial Magistrates have been posted as Principal Magistrates in the Juvenile Justice Boards or have been given charge thereof in contravention of mandate of the Juvenile Justice Act.

In this backdrop, the Court directed,

"A session for sensitization of all the Principal Magistrates of the Juvenile Justice Boards in Rajasthan shall be conducted at the Rajasthan State Judicial Academy at the earliest possible opportunity."

Further, the Registrar General, Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur was also directed to respond to the submission of Child Rights Activist, Govind Beniwal regarding the appointment of Chief Judicial Magistrates as Principal Magistrates contrary to the requirement of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Apart from this, the AAG submitted before the Court that a request had already been made to the Registrar General, Rajasthan High Court for filling up the vacant posts in the Juvenile Justice Boards.

With this, the Court directed that the copy of the order be transmitted to Registrar General, Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur, and the matter was listed for further hearing on 23^rd April.

In related news, underlining that Rule 8 of the West Bengal Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2017 aims to support the children, the Calcutta High Court recently observed that ground-level police officials need to be appropriately instructed with adequate information about the contents and modality of operation related to the rule.

It may be noted that Rule 8 of the West Bengal Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Rules, 2017 deals with Pre-Production action of Police and other Agencies and it provides for a system of undertaking and liaisoning between different departments including Legal Services Authority under the Legal Service Authority Act.

The Bench of Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Aniruddha Roy was dealing with a matter initiated on the Court's own motion related to the unnatural death of a teenaged boy in Mollarpur, Police station – Birbhum.

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