Swamy moves SC, seeks its interpretation of Juvenile Act

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday, demanding a judicial interpretation of the Juvenile Justice Act since the objective of the Act, he claimed, could never have been to protect persons like the juvenile accused in the Delhi gangrape case.

Challenging the “straitjacket” formula to provide immunity to all juvenile accused since they are less than 18 years of age, Swamy’s petition said that this “bland” classification was arbitrary and unreasonable and devoid of any just and fair treatment to the rights of the victim.

Such a “blanket protection” solely on the basis of age, he contended, abridged the right to life, right to free and fair trial and the rights of a victim, which formed part of Article 21 (fundamental right to life and personal liberty) .

“It is submitted that the Act was never intended to cover hardened criminals, who have nothing redeemable about their behaviour (and have often repeatedly committed heinous offences) and whose crime, like the instant crime (gangrape) alleged to have been committed, partakes of such an experienced diabolical nature that it is not that of a child, nor can any person who has committed it, ever be accepted as a child,” his petition stated.

Swamy’s earlier attempts before the Juvenile Justice Board and the Delhi High Court for prosecution of the juvenile accused in the December 16 gangrape case along with the five adult accused had failed, prompting him to move

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