Advocate Suman Kumari, Legal Correspondent, 12th September 2026, Patna: A state-level consultation programme on the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015 was held at Gyan Bhawan, Patna, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, with a focus on strengthening the juvenile justice system and ensuring better protection, care, rehabilitation and access to justice for children.
The one-day programme, themed “A Decade of Implementation and the Way Forward,” brought together representatives from the judiciary, administration, police, Social Welfare Department, child protection institutions and the child rights sector to review the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act over the past ten years and discuss the way forward.
The programme was organised by the Juvenile Justice Secretariat, Patna High Court, in collaboration with the Government of Bihar and UNICEF, Patna.
Supreme Court, Patna High Court judges address gathering
During the inaugural session, Supreme Court Justice Vipul M. Pancholi addressed the gathering and highlighted the significance of the juvenile justice system and the protection of children’s rights.
Justice Sudhir Singh, Acting Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, subsequently spoke about the need to further strengthen child protection mechanisms and the justice delivery system for children.
Justice Prabhat Kumar Singh, Judge-cum-Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Committee, Patna High Court, delivered the keynote address.
The welcome address was delivered by Rachna Srivastava, Additional Registrar, Juvenile Justice Secretariat, Patna High Court.
The programme was also addressed by Monika O. Nielsen, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bihar; Vinay Kumar, Director General of Police, Bihar; and Pratyaya Amrit, Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar.
First technical session focuses on care, protection and rehabilitation
The first technical session was chaired by Justice Mohit Kumar Shah, with Justice Anil Kumar Sinha as co-chair.
The session focused on challenges faced by Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and deliberated on issues including protection services, rehabilitation, family-based care, legal aid, quality of services, accountability and inclusion of children with disabilities.
Thiyagarajan S.M., IAS, Special Secretary, Health Department, Government of Bihar, and Vaibhav Srivastava, IAS, District Magistrate, Saran, participated as Resource Persons and shared their views on strengthening child protection mechanisms.
Rights of children in conflict with law discussed
The second technical session was chaired by Justice Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, with Justice Harish Kumar as co-chair.
The session focused on various aspects concerning Children in Conflict with Law (CICL), including diversion, rehabilitation and child-friendly justice.
Participants also discussed the Preliminary Assessment undertaken by Juvenile Justice Boards in cases involving serious offences, along with the need to ensure that legal procedures remain sensitive to the rights and best interests of children.
K. Suhita Anupam, A.D.G., Weaker Section, and Prof. Jyoti Dogra Sood, Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, participated as Resource Persons.
Ten years of Juvenile Justice Act implementation reviewed
The third technical session was chaired by Justice Bibek Chaudhuri, with Justice Gunu Anupama Chakravarti as co-chair.
The session centred on “Evidence, Accountability and Way Forward” in the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015 over the past decade.
The effectiveness of Care and Protection Services as well as Adjudication and Administration during the last ten years was reviewed. Participants discussed implementation gaps, accountability mechanisms and measures required to make the juvenile justice system more effective in the coming decade.
A presentation was also made during the session, while Sanjay Pandey, Dy.S.P., Weaker Section, delivered another presentation on issues related to the juvenile justice framework.
The programme also featured a video presentation by UNICEF and included the voices of children in conflict with law (CICL) and children in need of care and protection (CNCP).
Experts call for stronger strategy for the next decade
The consultation also focused on strengthening the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act in the coming decade.
Child Rights Activist Bharti Ali shared her views on strengthening children’s rights and improving the juvenile justice system.
Participants emphasised that juvenile justice should not be limited to legal adjudication but must also ensure a child’s safety, dignity, rehabilitation, reintegration and overall development.
Key takeaways presented during closing session
During the concluding session, Banku Bihari Sarkar, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Bihar, presented the key findings and major takeaways from the day’s deliberations.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Shashank Shekhar, Principal Magistrate, J.J.B., West Champaran at Bettiah.
Best interests of the child remain at the centre
The state-level consultation provided an important platform to review Bihar’s experience with the juvenile justice system over the past decade and to identify priorities for the years ahead.
A key message emerging from the programme was the need to ensure that every child receives protection, dignity, appropriate guidance, rehabilitation and access to justice.
The deliberations underlined the importance of making the juvenile justice system more child-friendly, responsive and effective, with the best interests of the child remaining at the centre of every intervention.
The programme also highlighted Bihar’s commitment to strengthening its child protection and juvenile justice mechanisms and ensuring more effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act in the decade ahead.
