CJI releases e-compendium of landmark verdicts of SC, HCs relating to Juvenile Justice Act

New Delhi, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday released an e-compendium of landmark verdicts of the Supreme Court and high courts relating to the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

The CJI inaugurated the two-day National Annual Stakeholders Consultation on "Ten Years of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015: Progress, Challenges and Priorities for the Next Decade" convened here by the apex court's Juvenile Justice Committee, in association with UNICEF India.

The event brought together judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, directors of state judicial academies, secretaries of women and child development departments and others, including members of juvenile justice boards and child welfare committees, to undertake an evidence-based institutional audit of the first 10 years of the Act's implementation, a press release issued by the apex court said.

"The Chief Justice of India formally released an e-compendium of landmark judgments of the Supreme Court of India and high courts relating to the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, capturing jurisprudential developments spanning from 2015 to September 2026," it said.

In the inaugural address, the CJI emphasised that the phrase, "child in conflict with law", describes a circumstance, not an identity.

The release said in her opening remarks, Supreme Court judge B V Nagarathna, who is also the chairperson of the top court's Juvenile Justice Committee, emphasised the core philosophy of juvenile jurisprudence that "when a child breaks the law, the law must not break the child".

"The introductory remarks were delivered by Cynthia McCaffrey, country representative, UNICEF India, who reaffirmed UNICEF's partnership with the Indian judiciary to secure child-friendly procedures, divert young people from formal penal processes, and build protective community environments," it said.

Following the inaugural session, the day progressed with technical sessions, followed by interactive sessions with the participants.

The release said Supreme Court judge J B Pardiwala, who is a member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, chaired the first technical session that deliberated upon substantive and procedural safeguards for children in conflict with law.

Supreme Court judge A S Chandurkar, who is also a member of the Juvenile Justice Committee, chaired the second session that reviewed the child-protection machinery and non-institutional alternative care.

The release said the afternoon technical session evaluated implementations across six states and Union territories.

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