Sources have stated that the government has made public the "child-oriented" draft rules under the Juvenile Justice Act, which if adopted, would come into retrospective effect from January and the rules has come a day before the Delhi Police file a charge sheet in the Mercedes hit and run case.
The Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has told that the draft bill has been put up on the ministry of Women and Child Development website for public consultation and it will be in retrospect for all cases since January, but they need to emphasize that it is child oriented so children will not have to go to jail.
It is also said that the new rules, however say children between the age of 16 and 18 years who are accused of heinous crimes can be tried as adults under IPC and CrPC and the decision rests with the Juvenile Justice Board, but states may amend that aspect.
The Juvenile Justice Act came into force in January, following a huge uproar about the increasing number of crimes committed by children under the age of 18 and the new rule has said that every hospital should have a testing centre, so the age of every accused can be determined within 30 days.
