Child psychology training for state’s magistrates

A division bench of the Gujarat high court has ordered that child psychology training be imparted to all magistrates in the state who are dealing with cases registered against minors under Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act).

A bench headed by chief justice SJ Mukhopadhaya issued the order on Monday while hearing a petition regarding the implementation of the JJ act.

The petition was filed in 1996 as the high court had taken suo-motu cognisance over two letters written by individuals from Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad exposing the ill-treatment being meted out to inmates of observation homes.

Anand Yagnik, the nominated court commissioner in the case, had stated before the bench that, those magistrates who are dealing with juvenile matters are required to undergo training as far as the JJ Act and child psychology are concerned.

The bench took the statement seriously and asked the registrar general of the Gujarat high court to bring this order to the notice of the chief justice on the administrative side for its implementation.

Earlier, during the hearing, the issue of staff crunch in the social justice department was also discussed.

Following an order of the high court, the process to appoint Protection and Probation officer has been started by the state government.

The court has appointed a four-member committee headed by Anand Yagnik and the committee has submitted 13 reports before the high court after visiting all observation homes in the state.