Srinagar April 10: The J&K High Court today directed the government to inform it within two days about the functioning of juvenile justice boards (JJB’s) constituted recently to secure the interests of the children.
The court directed the government to apprize it within two days about the operation of these boards constituted under the Juvenile Justice Act of 2013, welfare legislation for securing the interests of children in conflict with law and also those who are in need of care and protection.
The matter has been listed for hearing on Thursday.
The State Government has already designated eight judicial officers as principal magistrates for the JJBs in Jammu and Kashmir in the first phase. The districts include Anantnag, Baramulla, Srinagar, Jammu, Doda, Rajouri, Leh and Kargil.
According to a recent notification issued by the government, the judicial officers include Altaf Hussain Khan (Munsiff Anantnag), Fayaz Ahmad Qureshi (Munsiff Baramulla), Parvez Iqbal (Sub Judge/ Mobile Magistrate Srinagar), Meyank Gupta (3rd Additional Munsiff Jammu), Aruri Kumar Kotwal (Sub Judge/ Mobile Magistrate Rajouri), Nuashad Ahmad Khan (Sub Judge/ Mobile Magistrate Rajouri), Spaizes Angmo (CJM Kargil) and Tsewang Phutsog (Munsiff Nobra-Leh).
The notification has been issued in consultation with the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. The government has also accorded formal sanction to the creation of eight additional posts of magistrates for operationalization of JJB’s in the state.
A total of 22 boards and child welfare committees are to be constituted in the entire state under the Act. Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi, has been appointed chairperson, for the selection-cum-oversight committee for the boards.
After reports of unfair treatment of children especially at the hands of law enforcing agencies and armed forces in the wake of stone throwing during protest marches, the court took notice of the matter and directed implementation of the Act which was passed in 2013.
The constitution of the JJB’s according to the court would help the judicial officers to properly enforce the juvenile justice system in the state and enable the provisions of the statute to be implemented in its letter and spirit.
