Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Juvenile Justice Bill which now means law will try offenders who are 16 years and above as adults in heinous crimes such as rape & murder cases
#FLASH Juvenile Justice Bill passed in Rajya Sabha. pic.twitter.com/5wyojH1jeT
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 22, 2015
The bill which was first introduced by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi in August 2014 has already been passed in Lok Sabha.
Giving out the bill’s details Maneka Gandhi said borstals – custodial institutions for young offenders – would be set up under the proposed law to house juveniles accused of heinous crime.
“They (juvenile convicts) will not stay with adults in jails meant for adults… They will be kept in borstals. It does not exist at present… it will be created,” the minister said.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met Jyoti’s parents at his residence, assuring them that the bill will be passed in Parliament. Naqvi also said he had spoken to other parties to ensure their support in passing the bill.
The bill was introduced 12 times in the monsoon session but was not passed in the Rajya Sabha due to multiple disruptions.