New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the move to amend the Juvenile Justice Act to empower Juvenile Justice Boards to decide if someone above 16 who is involved in a heinous crime like rape should be sent to a observation home or tried in a regular court.
Sources said a bill to amend this law will soon be placed before Parliament for approval. All Central ministries have given their approval to amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000.
The proposed changes in the law come against the backdrop of outrage over the lighter punishment of three years in a reform home given to a minor convicted in the December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape case.
The proposed amendments also included facilitating faster adoption of children and setting up foster care homes. The WCD Ministry intends to make the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) the statutory body, which means it will have powers to regulate inter-country adoptions along with issuing guidelines on adoption and related matter.
