HC directs pool of 30 Judicial Magistrates

Chennai, Apr 8 (UNI) The Madras High Court today directed the Registrar General to constitute a pool of 30 Judicial Magistrates who can be posted on the Juvenile Justice Boards and to provide training to them through the state Judicial Academy.

The state Judicial Academy can devise the necessary training programme and complete the training of the identified judicial officers within a period of three months.

In an interim order on a suo motu petition, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice Ms Prabha Sreedevan, gave certain directions to the government to rehabilitate the juvenile courts and juvenile homes in the state.

By an order of the High Court, a committee of experts was constituted to examine the conditions of different children's homes (juvenile homes), special homes, observation homes, shelter homes in the state and the working of Juvenile Jusice Boards, Child Welfare Committees, the role of the police and other related matters. The committee should make comprehensive recommendations for improving the conditions of the inmates of the homes and their rehabilitation.

The committee headed by Retired Justice N V Balasubramanian, submitted its reports to the court.

On the basis of the committee's recommendation, the Bench directed the government to appoint 36 teachers in the existing vacancies within a period of three months and release Rs five lakh for providing facilities for yoga and meditation classes in juvenile homes for the financial year 2008-09.

The Bench also directed the government to forthwith make available an amount Rs 5.88 lakh to the social defence department towards the cost for preparing the plans and services of architects, artists and landscaping.

The government was further directed to make available to the social defence department the appropriate amount for the purpose of construction, modification and alteration of the homes within a period of three years.

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