Acting Chief Justice (CJ) of the High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad, Justice Ramesh Ranganathan has said the plight of poor children is pathetic. They are found fitting bolts and nuts in mechanic sheds to help their parents. The judicial officers must treat the children as their own during trial.
He was addressing the judges of juvenile courts, child protection officers, police officers, representatives of various non-governmental organisations and officers of related departments during a programme on the National Legal Services Authority’s (NALSA) ‘Child Friendly Legal Services to Children and Their Protection Scheme, 2015’.
‘Interact with
children’
The programme was jointly organised by the AP State Legal Services Authority (APSLA) and the Krishna District legal Services Authority here on Saturday.
Speaking on the occasion, Justice Ranganathan said many children were vulnerable to the challenges in the world outside their homes, where protection was less. Children were getting involved in petty offences and sometime serious ones, owing to various reasons, and asked the judges to devote their time and talk to them and understand the reality.
Former Registrar of Damodaram Sanjeevaiah National Law University Prof. A. Subramanyam, Unicef child protection officer Sony George, Special Commissioner of Women Development and Child Welfare Department K.R.B.H.N. Chakravarthi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-Administration) G.V.G. Ashok Kumar, Additional District Judge S. Rajani, child rights expert P. David Raj and others acted as resource persons.
Technical sessions
Technical sessions were held on identifying situations in which children may be involved in justice systems, criminal justice, children in conflict with law, child victims and witnesses, civil justice, access to justice for all children, their participation, dignity, best interest of the children, deprivation of liberty and other topics.
Juvenile Justice Act
The speakers explained about the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, JJ Model Rules 2016, how to determine age of a child, difference between petty, serious and heinous offences, interpretation, bail procedure, counselling, power, functions and responsibilities of Juvenile Justice Board, controlling organised crimes, preventing child trafficking.
Under any circumstances, death and life imprisonment should not be awarded to children, they clarified.
APSLA Member Secretary P.V. Rambabu, district judge Y. Laxman Rao, Police Commissioner D. Gautam Sawang, Collector Babu A. and other officers participated.
