The Parliament has finally passed the juvenile justice bill with Rajya Sabha giving its positive nod. Lok Sabha passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015 in May this year.
The bill provides for the trial of accused between 16 and 18 years of age considering them as adults in cases of heinous offences. Giving out the details of the Bill, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said that a custodial institution for young offenders would be set up to house juveniles accused of heinous offences.
Members from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and DMK questioned the hurry in passing the bill and suggested that it must be first sent to a select committee of the house. Members of Left parties also walked out of the Rajya Sabha demanding the same.
The parents of the 23-year-old paramedical student, Nirbhaya, who was gang-raped in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012, were also present in the visitors’ Gallery when the Rajya Sabha took up the Juvenile Justice bill for discussion.
After passing of the bill, they felt consolated but opined that the juvenile would not have been released if the bill had been passed earlier.