PIL on juveniles; SC imposes cost of Rs 25,000 on Centre

The Supreme Court today imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the Centre for not filing the response before it in a matter relating to the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) across the country.
The bench, meanwhile, directed all the states and union territories (UTs) to ensure compliance of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, which includes setting up of JJBs in each district in the country by the year-end.
"You (the Ministry of Women and Child Development) are not even bothered to file your affidavit. You will have to pay the cost," the social justice bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and U U Lalit said.

The Ministry, which had said that it has developed an on- line mechanism for submission of reports on juvenile issue, was to file a detailed report, which was not done.
"The nature of this on-line mechanism is not mentioned in detail. The counsel appearing on behalf of the Ministry says that he will submit a detailed report and will also examine whether the monitoring mechanism can be improved.
"He also assures us that all the states and union territories will be impressed upon to submit their quarterly reports in terms of the monitoring mechanism," the bench had said.

Earlier, the court had decided to scrutinize functioning of JJBs and sought complete details on the pendency of cases, frequency of its sittings, vacancy of posts and other related issues.

It had also asked the Member Secretary of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to get in touch with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and the state Legal Services Authority (SLSA) in every state and UTs and obtain certain information.
It had also sought the total number of pending inquiries with each JJB as on March 31.
The bench, hearing a PIL seeking proper implementation of Juvenile Justice Act and its rules, had asked the Centre, state governments and NALSA to apprise it about the exact number of JJBs in the country and their present status.