HYDERABAD: Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh has called for coordinated efforts by the judiciary, police, women and child welfare officials, education and health sectors, government agencies and voluntary organisations to strengthen the juvenile justice system. Speaking as chief guest at a juvenile justice programme here on Thursday, the CJ said implementing the Juvenile Justice Act should not be the responsibility of any single department, but a collective social responsibility concerning the future of children.
He stressed coordination among stakeholders, particularly as the POCSO Act is closely linked to the juvenile justice system. Recalling his experience with the Act, the CJ said rescuing and rehabilitating children rescued from trafficking was not enough. Proactive mechanisms should be established at the village level to identify vulnerable children and prevent trafficking. He cited initiatives in Jharkhand, including around 27,000 village-level child protection committees and Project Shishu, launched to assist children who lost their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said child care institutions should serve as centres for education, skill development, personality development and rehabilitation, rather than merely providing food and shelter.
Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya stressed protecting children’s dignity, respecting their opinions and ensuring legal proceedings do not cause further psychological trauma. She called for child-friendly courts, confidential questioning facilities and one-way mirrors to allow children to testify without facing accused persons directly. She also stressed timely payment of interim and final compensation to POCSO victims. DGP CV Anand called for further strengthening Telangana’s juvenile justice system.
Citing the India Justice Report, he said 55% of cases before Juvenile Justice Boards nationally remain pending. He also highlighted growing cybercrime risks to children and the use of minors by adult offenders. Anand called for trained child welfare officers in every police station, along with continuous training and performance audits of specialised juvenile police units. He also called for a renewed national debate on whether 16-18-year-olds accused of heinous crimes should be treated as juveniles or tried as adults.