‘Consider age factor while releasing children in conflict with law’

LUCKNOW: Although the women and child welfare department has prepared a list of around 1000 children, who are in 24 observation homes in UP for being in conflict with law, for interim bail in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak, the high-powered state panel has said those delinquents should not be released whose juvenility (whether they are minor) was in dispute.

The Supreme Court had on April 3 asked Juvenile Justice Boards to consider releasing these children to prevent spread of pandemic. It came after over 11, 000 prisoners were released recently on the apex court order.

The majority of children listed for release have disputed juvenility. Around 2,000 children in conflict with law are lodged in the observation homes. The number of children lodged is much more than the capacity of the UP observation homes.

“The apex court had directed states to decongest prisons. Observation homes should have been decongested in the same line. In UP, there are several cases with disputed juvenility. We will flag this issue with the high powered panel again,” a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.

“As per the high powered panel’s order, we are releasing children in conflict with the law. Their parents or guardians have been issued a letter that would work as a pass so that they could take children along for 8 weeks,” director, women and child welfare, Manoj Kumar Rai said,

“We have around 2, 000 children in 24 observation homes and almost half falls in the category suggested by the Supreme Court. We will act as per the high powered panel’s directions,” he added.

A child rights activist Deepika Singh said, “Decongesting shelter homes is need of the hour. There is no point considering the age when the apex court has taken the gravity of the crime into consideration. The high powered panel should review their decision.”

After the Supreme Court order asking all states to release prisoners on either parole or interim bail to reduce overcrowding in jails, the state government on March 26 prepared a proposal and sent it to the highpowered committee formed to ensure implementation the apex court’s orders.

On March 28, national commissioner for the protection of child rights (NCPCR) asked the state governments to prepare a list of children in conflict with the law lodged in observation and special homes so that they could be released.

THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN LISTED FOR RELEASE HAVE DISPUTED JUVENILITY. AROUND 2,000 CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH LAW ARE LODGED IN THE OBSERVATION HOMES