Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna Calls for Rehabilitation-Centred Juvenile Justice System

India’s juvenile justice system needs to place greater emphasis on rehabilitation and the long-term development of children who come into conflict with the law, Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna said during a national consultation at the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the opening session of a two-day National Annual Stakeholders Consultation marking a decade of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Justice Nagarathna highlighted the need to approach children differently from adult offenders. She stressed that decisions involving minors accused of serious offences require particular care because of the potential consequences for their future.

She also cautioned against treating Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) as conventional criminal courts, emphasising the importance of recognising a child’s capacity for change and development.

Pendency and staffing gaps remain key concerns

The consultation highlighted persistent challenges in the functioning of Juvenile Justice Boards, which play a central role in handling cases involving children accused of offences.

A study published in November 2025 by the India Justice Report found that 55 per cent of cases before Juvenile Justice Boards across 18 states and two Union Territories remained pending in 2023. The study also reported that 24 per cent of responding boards were operating without their full complement of members.

The findings point to the institutional difficulties facing the juvenile justice system, including delays in proceedings and shortages in personnel.

Addressing these concerns requires more than improving case disposal rates. The effectiveness of the system must also be assessed by whether children receive appropriate support and have a meaningful opportunity to rebuild their lives.

CJI Surya Kant stresses stronger legal support for children 

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant called for specialised defence counsel to represent children involved in juvenile justice proceedings.

He also highlighted the need for coordinated training involving police personnel, judicial officers and psychologists. Such coordination is important to ensure that children are dealt with appropriately at different stages of the justice process.

The Chief Justice further underlined the importance of filling vacancies among probation officers and protecting children’s digital privacy.

These measures address several aspects of child protection, from access to legal representation and professional assessment to the safeguarding of personal information.

A decade of the Juvenile Justice Act

The consultation was organised by the Supreme Court’s Juvenile Justice Committee in association with UNICEF India. It brought together judicial officers, government representatives and child protection specialists to assess the implementation of the 2015 legislation and identify priorities for the coming decade.

The discussions focused on the practical challenges of delivering child-sensitive justice and strengthening the institutions responsible for protecting children.

During the event, the Chief Justice released an electronic compendium of landmark judgments on juvenile justice covering the period from 2015 to September 2026.

The collection is intended to bring together important judicial decisions from the past decade and provide a reference for those working in the field.

Rehabilitation remains central to juvenile justice 

The consultation reinforced the distinction between resolving a legal case and achieving a positive outcome for the child involved.

For a juvenile justice system to fulfil its purpose, proceedings must be accompanied by appropriate safeguards, professional support and opportunities for rehabilitation. Timely decisions, access to legal representation and effective coordination among institutions are important elements of that approach.

The review of the Juvenile Justice Act’s first decade provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine existing gaps and consider improvements to implementation.

As India looks towards the next decade of juvenile justice, strengthening institutional capacity and ensuring that children receive fair, age-appropriate treatment remain central challenges for the country’s justice and child protection systems.