The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered issue of notice to the State government while suo motu initiating a public interest litigation (PIL) petition based on newspaper reports on the recent rampage at Government Observation Home for Boys, Bangalore, and issues related to the maladministration of such juvenile homes.
A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B.V. Nagarathna, passed the order while treating a letter written by the High Court's Registrar-General P. Krishna Bhat on the issue based on newspaper reports.
While the Registrar-General highlighted the issues pertaining to the administration of Government Observation Home for Boys and the Government Home for Boys (Balakara Bala Mandira), the Bench also included the issues pertaining to Government Home for Girls.
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The letter said there was utter apathy on the part of the officers responsible for running of these homes, while indicating that the residents there were deprived of their right both under the Constitution as well as the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
Quoting newspaper reports, the letter said these homes were not run properly with requisite sensitivity and their conditions were intolerable.