Collective efforts necessary to change the concept of juvenile justice: CJI

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud has emphasized on reform and rehabilitation rather than punishing juvenile delinquents. In a seminar organized on Juvenile Justice here on Saturday, the CJI expressed concern over the delay in the justice process in juvenile cases.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organized by the Supreme Court of Nepal, CJI Chandrachud said that despite the provision of hearing and sentencing the case of a minor accused within four months, this is not possible in practice. The Chief Justice acknowledged that the more time taken in the case of child accused is not good for their mental and social condition. He said that there is a need to change the concept of juvenile justice, as the present justice system is not favorable to juvenile justice in any respect.

Chief Justice Chandrachud said that the way child accused below 18 years of age are kept or the environment in which they are kept, from the police station to the juvenile correction center, has an adverse effect on their mentality. He said that the case of child accused needs to be handled differently from the beginning and there is a need for a radical change in the system of hearing even in the Juvenile Court. Describing some of the decisions taken on Juvenile Justice in Nepal as historical, the Chief Justice said that we will also learn a lot from these decisions. He said that Nepal and India have similar social structure, hence we can share and use each other’s experience in juvenile justice matters.

Saying that the material available on cyber and internet has a deep impact on juvenile delinquency these days, Chief Justice Chandrachud said that due to this, there is a great need for psychological protection of child accused and criminals. He also said that there is a need to take serious legal steps to remove objectionable materials from the Internet. Justice Chandrachud said that this is not just the work of the judiciary and the government but the society will also have to participate in it, only then its negative impact on children can be reduced.

Before participating in the program, Chief Justice Chandrachud visited Pashupatinath temple with his wife this morning and participated in the ritual worship. While coming out after participating in the morning special puja at Pashupatinath temple, Justice Chandrachud said that it was his good fortune to have the darshan of Lord Pashupatinath today. He said that he has come and bowed down at Pashupatinath temple. He expressed his gratitude to Pashupati Area Development Fund for organizing the special puja here.