Gauhati HC Seeks Progress Report On Assam's Draft Child Protection Policy By February 2025

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam Government to submit a comprehensive update on measures to bolster the state’s child protection and juvenile justice systems by February 25, 2025.

The order, issued by a division bench comprising Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury, pertains to the status of critical initiatives, including notifications for Draft Rules, the Child Protection Policy, vacancy fulfillment, and the timeline for an ongoing social audit.

The directive has been given during the Public Interest Litigation (PIL/60/2019) hearing, which focused on infrastructure challenges experienced by the Juvenile Justice Board and on improving the condition of the Children's Homes across Assam. These matters will also come up for consideration in the next hearing fixed for February 2025.

The Senior Government Advocate stated before the court that the Draft Child Protection Policy and the Assam State Juvenile Justice Rules, 2024, have already been uploaded on the Cabinet portal and shared with concerned departments for feedback. It is said that the policy would soon be placed before the Cabinet.

Efforts to integrate directions from the Supreme Court’s August 2024 order into the Draft Rules are underway. However, finalization of policies, rule notifications, and pending appointments will require additional time. 

To address the backlog of cases at Juvenile Justice Boards, the government proposed increasing board sittings in high-demand areas. The court welcomed the initiative and suggested submitting recommendations for stakeholder review to ensure effective implementation. 

The High Court’s focus on these measures underscores the urgent need to improve the state’s child welfare mechanisms.

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