{"id":258545,"date":"1989-03-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1989-03-16T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/supreme-court-legal-aid-committee-vs-union-of-india-ors-on-17-march-1989"},"modified":"2017-12-23T02:47:25","modified_gmt":"2017-12-22T21:17:25","slug":"supreme-court-legal-aid-committee-vs-union-of-india-ors-on-17-march-1989","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/supreme-court-legal-aid-committee-vs-union-of-india-ors-on-17-march-1989","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee vs Union Of India &amp; Ors on 17 March, 1989"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee vs Union Of India &amp; Ors on 17 March, 1989<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_citations\">Equivalent citations: 1989 AIR 1278, 1989 SCR  (2)\t 60<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: M Rangnath<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_bench\">Bench: Misra Rangnath<\/div>\n<pre id=\"pre_1\">           PETITIONER:\nSUPREME COURT LEGAL AID COMMITTEE\n\n\tVs.\n\nRESPONDENT:\nUNION OF INDIA &amp; ORS.\n\nDATE OF JUDGMENT17\/03\/1989\n\nBENCH:\nMISRA RANGNATH\nBENCH:\nMISRA RANGNATH\nVENKATACHALLIAH, M.N. (J)\n\nCITATION:\n 1989 AIR 1278\t\t  1989 SCR  (2)\t 60\n 1989 SCC  (2) 325\t  JT 1989 (1)\t549\n 1989 SCALE  (1)651\n\n\nACT:\n\t    Juvenile Justice Act, 1986: Sections 2(e), 5, 9, 10,\n11\n\tand 62.\n\t    Juveniles\t  detained    in    regular\tjails--Exa\nct\n\tnumber--Determination\t of--Setting\tup    of    juveni\nle\n\tcourts--Establishment\t   of--Juveniles      homes--Speci\nal\n\thomes--Observation homes--Framing of statutory rules--Dire\nc-\n\ttions of Supreme Court.\n\t    Children--Need protective umbrella of society for bett\ner\n\tgrowth and development--Responsibility of society--Paramou\nnt\n\tobligation  of those who are in charge of the governance\nof\n\tthe country.\n\n\n\nHEADNOTE:\n\t    Pursuant  to the directions made by the  Supreme  Cour\nt,\n\twith  a\t view  to providing relief  to\tdelinquent  childr\nen\n\tdetained in jails, in 1986 the District Judges of the enti\nre\n\tcountry supplied the particulars of under trial and convic\nt-\n\ted  children found in regular jails within  their  jurisdi\nc-\n\ttion. With the passage of time and the coming into force\nof\n\tthe  Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 it became necessary  to\t g\net\n\tfresh detailed reports for updating the information.\n\tThe Supreme Court issued directions and,\n\t    HELD:  1.  Children require the protective\tumbrella\nof\n\tsociety for better growth and development as they are not\nin\n\ta position to claim their entitlement--to attention, growi\nng\n\tup,  food, education and the like. It is the  responsibili\nty\n\tof  the society and is one of the paramount  obligations\nof\n\tthose  who are in charge of governance of the country  tod\nay\n\tto attend to the children to make them appropriate  citize\nns\n\tof tomorrow. [64A-B]\n\t    2.\tEvery District Judge is directed to report  to\tth\nis\n\tCourt  the  figures  as to the exact  number  of  delinque\nnt\n\tjuveniles still detained in regular jails and whether  juv\ne-\n\tnile courts, juvenile homes, special homes and\tobservatio\nns\n\thomes as provied in the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 have be\nen\n\testablished. [62H; 63A]\n\t61\n\t    2.1\t A  Senior Advocate of this Court  is  appointed\nas\n\tCommissioner  to visit the jails in the three  Districts\nof\n\tthe  State of Bihar, viz. Deogarh, Patna and  Bhagalpur\t a\nnd\n\tcollect\t the necessary particulars of  juvenile\t delinquen\nts\n\thoused in those jails and report to this Court. He shall\nbe\n\tprovided  all facilities by the State Government  and  sha\nll\n\talso   be  entitled  to\t reimbursement\tof   his   expense\ns.\n\t[64H;65A-B]\n\t    3. Section 62 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 1986 empowe\nrs\n\tthe State Government to make rules to carry out the purpos\nes\n\tof the Act. The scheme of the Act is such that it cannot\nbe\n\tproperly  enforced unless appropriate rules are\t framed\t a\nnd\n\tbrought\t into force. The District Judges while making  the\nir\n\treports\t shall also indicate whether rules have been  fram\ned\n\tand whether such rules are already in force. Counsel for t\nhe\n\trespective  States  are\t directed to inform  this  Court\nby\n\twritten\t Memorandum about the framing of rules and  bringi\nng\n\tthem  into  force in the--respective States. If\t such  rul\nes\n\thave not been framed in any State, such State or States\t a\nre\n\tdirected to frame the same and bring them into force witho\nut\n\tany further delay. [63C-E]\n\t    4. For facilitating the monitoring of the implementati\non\n\tof  the\t Juvenile Justice Act, 1986, a\tgroup  of  nominat\ned\n\tadvocates  is  entrusted  with the work of  making  a  dra\nft\n\tScheme\tand placing it before the Court for  its  consider\na-\n\ttion. [64D-E]\n\t    5.\tThe Registry of this Court should  have\t appropria\nte\n\tfunds  to meet the expenses from time to time. The Union\nof\n\tIndia  is directed to deposit a sum of Rs.50,000 while\tea\nch\n\tof the States of Bihar and West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh\nis\n\tdirected to deposit a sum of Rs.15,000. [65B-C]\n\n\n\nJUDGMENT:\n<\/pre>\n<p id=\"p_1\">\t    ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Criminal) No.\t 1<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_1\">45<\/span><br \/>\n\t1 of 1985.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_1\">\t(Under <a href=\"\/doc\/981147\/\" id=\"a_1\">Article 32<\/a> of the Constitution of India. )<br \/>\n\t    R.K. Jain and Yogeshwar Prasad, R.K. Khanna, R.K.  Bha<br \/>\ntt<br \/>\n\tand Dalveer Bhandari for the Petitioner.<br \/>\n\t    V.C.  Mahajan,  Tapas Ray, A.S.  Nambiar,  S.B.  Bhasm<br \/>\ne,<br \/>\n\tKapil  Sibal,  R.B. Misra, A. Subhashini, Y.P. Rao,  Ms.<br \/>\nS.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_2\">\tJanani, Ms. Urmila Kapur, D.K. Sinha, J.R. Dass, P.K.  Man<br \/>\no-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_3\">\thar, Ms. S. Vasudevan, M. Veerappa, Uma Nath, R.K. Mehta,<br \/>\nV.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_4\">\tKrishnamurthy,\tA.S. Bhasme, K.R. Nambiar, B.D Sharma,\tKa<br \/>\ni-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_5\">\tlash Vasudev, D.N.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_1\">\t62<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"p_6\">\tMukherjee, D. Goburdhan, Ms. Kamini Jaiswal, T.V.S.N. Char<br \/>\ni,<br \/>\n\tMahabir\t Singh, Probir Chowdhry, M.N. Shroff, A. Subba\tRa<br \/>\no,<br \/>\n\tR.S.  Suri, G. Probhakar, K. Ram. Kumar, S.K.  Bhattachary<br \/>\na,<br \/>\n\tL.R.  Singh, A.K. Sanghi, C.V. Subba Rao, R.  Venkataraman<br \/>\ni,<br \/>\n\tSalman\tKhurshid, Gopal Singh, Mrs. Vimla Sinha and Mrs.<br \/>\nH.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_7\">\tWahi for the Respondents.<br \/>\n\tThe following Order of the Court was delivered:<br \/>\n\tORDER<br \/>\n\t    This  writ\tpetition  filed in 1985 has  been  heard<br \/>\non<br \/>\n\tdifferent  occasions and several orders and directions\tha<br \/>\nve<br \/>\n\tbeen made from time to time with a view to providing  reli<br \/>\nef<br \/>\n\tto  delinquent\tchildren detained in jails.  On\t August\t 2<br \/>\n9,<br \/>\n\t1988, this Court made an order (1988 4 SCC 226) wherein so<br \/>\nme<br \/>\n\tsuch directions have been excerpted and it is not  necessa<br \/>\nry<br \/>\n\tto make any detailed reference to those directions now.<br \/>\n\t    In\t1986  the District Judges of the entire\t country<br \/>\nin<br \/>\n\tresponse  to  the directions made by  this  Court  supplie<br \/>\nd,<br \/>\n\tinter  alia,  the particulars of under trial  and  convict<br \/>\ned<br \/>\n\tchildren  found\t in regular jails  within  their  respecti<br \/>\nve<br \/>\n\tjurisdiction. On the basis of the said reports it was  fou<br \/>\nnd<br \/>\n\tthat  in Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Punjab and West\tBengal,\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tnumber of such children in regular jails was 64, 247, 60,<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_2\">63<\/span><br \/>\n\tand 437 respectively. There was no such child in any regul<br \/>\nar<br \/>\n\tjail  of Gujarat but in varying numbers not exceeding 30<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\t35  they were found in other States. Thereafter some of\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tStates have filed affidavits indicating release from custo<br \/>\ndy<br \/>\n\tor transfer of such children from jails and have stated th<br \/>\nat<br \/>\n\tthe position at present is very different and the number<br \/>\nis<br \/>\n\teither nil or negligible.<br \/>\n\t    With  the lapse of two years&#8217; time since such  reporti<br \/>\nng<br \/>\n\twas  done  there  is every likelihood of a  change  in\tth<br \/>\nat<br \/>\n\tposition.  Even\t otherwise, in the  intervening\t period\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tJuvenile  Justice Act, 53 of 1986, (hereinafter referred<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tas the &#8216;Act&#8217;) has come into force in the whole of the  cou<br \/>\nn-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_8\">\ttry excepting the State of Jammu &amp; Kashmir with effect\tfr<br \/>\nom<br \/>\n\t2.10.1987.  The\t Act  provides for setting  up\tof  juveni<br \/>\nle<br \/>\n\thomes,\tspecial\t homes and observation homes  by  the  Sta<br \/>\nte<br \/>\n\tGovernments. Chapter IV provides for dealing with delinque<br \/>\nnt<br \/>\n\tjuveniles.  In this back-drop it is necessary to  get  fre<br \/>\nsh<br \/>\n\tdetailed  reports  from the District Judges and\t update\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tfigures\t as to the exact number of delinquent juveniles,<br \/>\nas<br \/>\n\tdefined\t in  s. 2(a) of the Act, still detained\t in  regul<br \/>\nar<br \/>\n\tjails. At the same time it is necessary that a report as<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\twhether juvenile<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_3\">\t63<\/span><br \/>\n\t Courts\t as required under s. 5 of the Act have been set<br \/>\nup<br \/>\n\tand juvenile homes, special homes and observation homes ha<br \/>\nve<br \/>\n\tbeen established as required by ss. 9, 10, and 11 should<br \/>\nbe<br \/>\n\tobtained.  Every District Judge is, therefore,\tdirected<br \/>\nby<br \/>\n\tthis order to report within 4 weeks from today to the Regi<br \/>\ns-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_9\">\ttry  of this Court through the Registrar of the\t appropria<br \/>\nte<br \/>\n\tHigh Court as to the exact position obtaining on 28.2.\t19<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_4\">89<\/span><br \/>\n\tin regard to the particulars indicated above. We would\tli<br \/>\nke<br \/>\n\tto place on record that on the earlier occasion response<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tdirections  by\tthis Court had taken more than\tsix  month<br \/>\ns;\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_10\">\trepetitive adjournments had become necessary and  complian<br \/>\nce<br \/>\n\twas effected by indicating coercive steps. We hope and tru<br \/>\nst<br \/>\n\tthere would be no repetition.<br \/>\n\t    Section 62 of the Act empowers the State Governments<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tmake rules to carry out the purposes of the Act. The  sche<br \/>\nme<br \/>\n\tof  the\t Act  is such that it cannot  be  properly  enforc<br \/>\ned<br \/>\n\tunless\tapropriate rules are framed and brought into  forc<br \/>\ne.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_11\">\tCounsel appearing before us for the different States are n<br \/>\not<br \/>\n\tin  a position to make a definite statement that the  Stat<br \/>\nes<br \/>\n\tthey  represent\t have  framed rules and\t brought  them\tin<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tforce. We, therefore, direct that the District Judges  whi<br \/>\nle<br \/>\n\tmaking their reports shall also indicate whether rules\tha<br \/>\nve<br \/>\n\tbeen  framed  and whether such rules are already  in  forc<br \/>\ne.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_12\">\tCounsel appearing before us are also directed to inform\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tRegistry  by written memorandum about the framing  of  rul<br \/>\nes<br \/>\n\tand  bringing them into force in the respective\t States.<br \/>\nIf<br \/>\n\tsuch rules have not been framed in any State, by this  ord<br \/>\ner<br \/>\n\twe  direct  such  State or States to frame the\tsame  on<br \/>\nor<br \/>\n\tbefore\t7th  of\t April, 1989 and to bring  them\t into  for<br \/>\nce<br \/>\n\twithout any further delay thereafter.<br \/>\n\tSection 2(h) defines &#8216;juvenile&#8217; to mean:<br \/>\n\t&#8220;a  boy who has not attained the age of sixteen years  or<br \/>\n a<br \/>\n\tgirl who has not attained the age of eighteen years.&#8221;<br \/>\n\tOfficial  reports  indicate that 35 to 40 per  cent  of\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\ttotal  population  of the country would be  covered  by\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tdefinition. As such about 30 crores of young boys and  gir<br \/>\nls<br \/>\n\tcome  within  the purview of the Act. There can\t be  no\t t<br \/>\nwo<br \/>\n\topinions  that these children of today are the\tcitizens<br \/>\nof<br \/>\n\ttomorrow&#8217;s India and the country&#8217;s future would\t necessari<br \/>\nly<br \/>\n\tdepend\tupon their proper hygiene&#8211;physical and mental.\t T<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tproblem is, therefore, gigantic; at the same time, there<br \/>\nis<br \/>\n\tdemand\tfor immediate attention. Several  counsel  appeari<br \/>\nng<br \/>\n\tbefore\tus have told us and we agree with their\t submissio<br \/>\nns<br \/>\n\tthat  unless the importance of the matter is  properly\tpe<br \/>\nr-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_13\">\tceived and the response is adequate both in<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_5\">\t64<\/span><br \/>\n\tregard to sufficiency of actions and immediacy of attentio<br \/>\nn,<br \/>\n\tthe purpose of the Act cannot be fulfilled. Children requi<br \/>\nre<br \/>\n\tthe  protective\t umbrella of society for better\t growth\t a<br \/>\nnd<br \/>\n\tdevelopment  as\t they are not in a position to\tclaim  the<br \/>\nir<br \/>\n\tentitlement&#8211;to\t attention, growing up, food, education\t a<br \/>\nnd<br \/>\n\tthe like. It is the responsibility of the society and is o<br \/>\nne<br \/>\n\tof  the paramount obligations of those who are in charge<br \/>\nof<br \/>\n\tgovernance of the country today to attend to the children<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tmake them appropriate citizens of tomorrow.<br \/>\n\t    We\tare  of the view that in the setting  indicated\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tmatter perhaps requires overseeing by the Court. For coord<br \/>\ni-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_14\">\tnation between the Union Government and the State Governme<br \/>\nnt<br \/>\n\tand  between  authorities within the State, at\tthe  initi<br \/>\nal<br \/>\n\tstage  and it would be in the interest of children that\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\tmatter is obverseen by this Court and when the machinery<br \/>\nis<br \/>\n\tproperly  geared  the responsibility of\t overseeing  may<br \/>\nbe<br \/>\n\tentrusted to the respective High Courts.<br \/>\n\t    With  a  view to working out the modality  and  to\tma<br \/>\nke<br \/>\n\toverseeing convenient, it is necessary that a scheme  shou<br \/>\nld<br \/>\n\tbe evolved. Counsel appearing before us have suggested\tth<br \/>\nat<br \/>\n\ta  group of advocates should be entrusted with the  work<br \/>\nof<br \/>\n\tmaking a draft scheme and place it before the Court for\t i<br \/>\nts<br \/>\n\tconsideration. We accordingly nominate <a href=\"\/doc\/1812531\/\" id=\"a_1\">Messrs V.C.  Mahaja<\/a><br \/>\nn,<br \/>\n\tYogeshwar Prasad, R.K. Jain, Tapas Roy and Mukul Mudgal\t w<br \/>\nho<br \/>\n\tare advocates appearing for some of the States to draw up<br \/>\n a<br \/>\n\tscheme\tand  file  it in the Registry of the  Court  by\t 7<br \/>\nth<br \/>\n\tApril, 1989.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_15\">\t    As\twe pointed out earlier from the reports it has\tbe<br \/>\nen<br \/>\n\tfound that the number of children in regular jails were\t t<br \/>\nhe<br \/>\n\thighest in West Bengal and Bihar. Mr. Tapas Roy representi<br \/>\nng<br \/>\n\tthe  State  of West Bengal relies upon\tan  affidavit  fil<br \/>\ned<br \/>\n\tbefore this Court to contend that the position has  substa<br \/>\nn-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_16\">\ttially\tchanged\t subsequent to the reports  and\t at  prese<br \/>\nnt<br \/>\n\tperhaps\t the number of children in regular jails  is  eith<br \/>\ner<br \/>\n\tnil  or very small. He has personally undertaken to  colle<br \/>\nct<br \/>\n\tthe particulars and furnish the same by way of the  memora<br \/>\nn-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_17\">\tdum to the Registry on or before 7th of April, 1989. So\t f<br \/>\nar<br \/>\n\tas the State of Bihar is concerned, Mr. Goburdhan is not<br \/>\nin<br \/>\n\ta position to make any statement. From the analysis prepar<br \/>\ned<br \/>\n\tbased  upon  the report of the District Judges,\t it  appea<br \/>\nrs<br \/>\n\tthat there were 27 children in the District Jail of Deogar<br \/>\nh,<br \/>\n\tabout  13 in the jails at Patna and 17 in the jails at\tBh<br \/>\na-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_18\">\tgalpur. We are of the view that Mr. A.S. Nambiar, Sr.  Adv<br \/>\no-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_19\">\tcate  of this Court should be appointed as  Commissioner<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tvisit  these jails in the three districts of Bihar and\tco<br \/>\nl-\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_20\">\tlect the necessary particulars of juvenile delinquents<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_6\">\t65<\/span><br \/>\n\thoused in those jails and report to this Court on or  befo<br \/>\nre<br \/>\n\t7th  of April, 1989. He shall be provided all facilities<br \/>\nby<br \/>\n\tthe  State  Government\tand its officers as  may  be  deem<br \/>\ned<br \/>\n\treasonable and necessary for implementing this direction.<br \/>\nHe<br \/>\n\tshall also be entitled to reimbursement of his expenses.<br \/>\n\t    It\tbecomes\t necessary  that the  Registry\tshould\tha<br \/>\nve<br \/>\n\tappropriate  funds to meet the expenses from time  to  tim<br \/>\ne.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_21\">\tWe, therefore, direct that the Union of India shall  depos<br \/>\nit<br \/>\n\ta  sum\tof Rs.50,000 while each of the States of  Bihar\t a<br \/>\nnd<br \/>\n\tWest  Bengal and Uttar Pradesh is directed to deposit a\t s<br \/>\num<br \/>\n\tof Rs. 15,000. Such deposits shall be made on or before 15<br \/>\nth<br \/>\n\tof April, 1989. The expenses have of course to be met by a<br \/>\nll<br \/>\n\tthe States but in due course an order directing other Stat<br \/>\nes<br \/>\n\tto  pay to the fund and final apportionment,  if  necessar<br \/>\ny,<br \/>\n\tshall be ordered.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_22\">\t    Notice  be\tissued to the learned  Attorney\t General<br \/>\nto<br \/>\n\tappear and assist the Court in this proceeding.<br \/>\n\t    The directions indicated above must be worked out with<br \/>\nin<br \/>\n\tthe time frame as we are fixing the case for further heari<br \/>\nng<br \/>\n\tat 2.00 P.M. on 24th of April, 1989.<br \/>\n\tT.N.A.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_7\">\t66<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court of India Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee vs Union Of India &amp; Ors on 17 March, 1989 Equivalent citations: 1989 AIR 1278, 1989 SCR (2) 60 Author: M Rangnath Bench: Misra Rangnath PETITIONER: SUPREME COURT LEGAL AID COMMITTEE Vs. RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA &amp; ORS. DATE OF JUDGMENT17\/03\/1989 BENCH: MISRA RANGNATH BENCH: MISRA [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-258545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee vs Union Of India &amp; Ors on 17 March, 1989 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/supreme-court-legal-aid-committee-vs-union-of-india-ors-on-17-march-1989\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee vs Union Of India &amp; 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