By IANS,
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the central government on a PIL seeking to exclude from the purview of the Juvenile Justice Act those above 16 years committing crimes like rape and murder.
A division bench of Chief Justice D. Murugesan and Justice V.K. Jain issued the notice through the ministries of parliamentary affairs and law and justice, and asked them to file their response by Feb 14.
The PIL sought to declare as ultra vires some provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, alleging that recent incidents showed that those aged 16 years were involved in “serious crimes” and are “quite well developed”.
“They do not need the care and protection of the society, rather the society needs care and protection against them,” read the PIL.
Advocate R.K. Kapoor said if juveniles above 16 years were involved in “heinous crime” like rape and murder, they should not be treated as juveniles and be given harsher punishment.
He added that those above 16 should not be allowed to escape “life term” and “death penalty”.