Juveniles involved in heinous crimes may be tried as adults

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared amendments to Juvenile Justice Act that let juveniles between 16 and 18 to be tried as adults for heinous crimes such as murder and rape.

In the amendments, the juvenile justice board will have the power to decide whether a crime committed by a minor is heinous or not. The bill for the same will be presented before Parliament to make the amendments in the law.

The Juvenile Justice Act came under severe scrutiny following the December 2012 brutal gang rape and murder of Nirbhaya in Delhi, in which a juvenile was found to be guilty along with four adults. The juvenile justice board had sent the juvenile to a correctional facility for a period of three years.

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In June 2014, child-rights activists and other stakeholders have wondered why the new government wanted to repeal and re-enact the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.

India moved from penal law to reformative law by repealing the 1989 JJ Act and enacting the JJ Act 2000. There was unanimous decision that age of the child in conflict with law should not be lowered from 18 years. There are Supreme Court judgments, too, in this regard.

READ ALSO: Why repeal Juvenile Justice Act? activists ask

Activists say lowering the age or having any provision to deviate children from juvenile justice system to criminal justice system is not acceptable.

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