The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam Government to provide a comprehensive update by February 25, 2025, on the progress of critical initiatives designed to enhance child protection and the juvenile justice system in the state. The government has been asked to report on the issuance of notifications for the Draft Child Protection Policy and Juvenile Justice Rules, the filling of existing vacancies, and the status of the ongoing social audit, including a timeline for its completion.
The directive came during a hearing of Public Interest Litigation (PIL/60/2019) before a division bench comprising Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury. The bench underscored the importance of reviewing infrastructure challenges faced by the Juvenile Justice Board and the conditions of Children’s Homes during the next scheduled hearing in February 2025.
During the proceedings, the Senior Government Advocate informed the court that the Draft Child Protection Policy and the Draft Assam State Juvenile Justice Rules, 2024, have been uploaded to the Cabinet portal. These drafts have been circulated to the Judicial, School Education, and Finance Departments for feedback. It is anticipated that the policy will be presented to the Cabinet in the upcoming session for further deliberation and approval.
Additionally, the Advocate highlighted efforts to integrate directives issued by the Supreme Court in its August 2024 order in Suo Moto WP(C) 3/2023 into the Draft Juvenile Justice Rules. Despite these advancements, the government acknowledged that finalizing these policies and completing the appointments process would require additional time.
The court was also apprised of the government’s plan to address the backlog of cases pending before Juvenile Justice Boards. This includes increasing the frequency of board sittings where necessary. The High Court welcomed this initiative and advised the government to submit detailed recommendations for rescheduling sittings, enabling stakeholders to evaluate and implement the proposed changes effectively.
This directive underscores the Gauhati High Court’s commitment to ensuring a robust framework for child protection and juvenile justice in Assam, emphasizing the need for timely action and accountability from the state government.