Hyderabad HC pulls up AP, Telangana on child friendly courts, asks status
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the State Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to file affidavits explaining the steps being taken to establish child friendly courts in all the districts.
The High Court has suo motto taken up two separate PIL for the states of AP and Telangana following the request of the Supreme Court to take effective steps in the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (the JJ Act).
While directing the State Governments for implementation of both Acts, the Supreme Court in the case of Sampurna Behura versus Union of India requested the Chief Justice of High Courts in the country to seriously consider establishing child friendly courts and vulnerable witness courts in each district.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi while dealing with the PILs directed the State Governments to file the affidavits explaining the steps being taken to fill up all vacancies in the Child Rights Commissions, Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and Child Welfare Commissions (CWCs) and the setting up of Special Juvenile Police Units and Child Welfare Police Officers in terms of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The Apex Court in Sampurna Behura case felt that inquiries under the JJ Act and trials under other Acts such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, trials for sexual offences under the Indian Penal Code and other similar laws require to be conducted with a high degree of sensitivity, care and empathy for the victim.
The Supreme Court pointed out “It is often said that the experience in our courts of a juvenile accused of an offence or the victim of a sexual offence is traumatic. Advantage of such child friendly courts and vulnerable witness courts is that they can be used for trials in which adult women are victims of sexual offences since they too are often traumatised by the not so friendly setting and environment in our courts.”
The High Court directed both the governments to file their affidavits by March 20.
