Srinagar, July 23: Under the guidance of Hon’ble Ms. Justice Sindhu Sharma, Judge, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Chairperson, Committee under the Juvenile Justice Act, the Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy today organized a Capacity-Building Programme on Juvenile Justice for the Principal Magistrates of the Juvenile Justice Boards. The programme was conducted in hybrid mode, with the Principal Magistrates from the Kashmir Division participating physically at the Academy’s Mominabad Campus, Srinagar, while those from the Jammu Division joined virtually. The programme was also attended by the Newly Selected Civil Judges (Junior Division), Batch-2026, presently undergoing the Pre-Appointment Induction Training Programme.
The programme was organized pursuant to the approval of the Hon’ble Juvenile Justice Committee, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, based on a comprehensive Training Needs Assessment undertaken by the Office of the Member Secretary, Juvenile Justice Committee. It was also aimed at facilitating the implementation of the directions issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Juvenile Delinquent v. State of U.P. & Others (Criminal Appeal No. 2010 of 2026), along with the Standard Operating Procedure and the communication issued by the Registrar General, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Mr. Naseer Ahmad Dar, Director, Jammu & Kashmir Judicial Academy, who welcomed the participants and highlighted the significance of the programme in strengthening the implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. He emphasized the need for a child-centric and reformative approach, while underscoring the importance of continuous judicial education in enhancing the capacity of judicial officers.
The inaugural session was jointly conducted by Ms. Tabasum Wani, Joint Registrar Inspection, High Court Wing, Srinagar, and Dr. Khair-ul-Nisa, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee. The resource persons discussed the key provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, including the powers and functions of Juvenile Justice Boards, child-friendly inquiry procedures, preliminary assessment under Section 15, Social Investigation Reports, the role of experts, and important judicial precedents. The session featured interactive discussions and case studies emphasizing a child-centric and reformative approach.
The second session, conducted by Ms. Tabasum Wani, focused on non-custodial measures, diversion and rehabilitation of children in conflict with law. Through practical case studies and discussions, participants deliberated on bail under Section 12, preliminary assessment under Section 15, claims of juvenility, the distinction between children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection, and the importance of safeguarding the identity and confidentiality of children.
The post-lunch sessions were jointly conducted by Ms. Tabassum Qadir, Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Srinagar, and Dr. Khair-ul-Nisa, who deliberated on restorative justice in juvenile justice administration. They highlighted victim-offender mediation, family group conferencing, accountability, rehabilitation and social reintegration, while emphasizing trauma-informed judicial approaches, community participation and coordinated institutional support for the welfare and long-term rehabilitation of children in conflict with law.
The programme witnessed active participation from the Principal Magistrates of Juvenile Justice Boards and the newly inducted Civil Judges (Junior Division), who engaged enthusiastically in the discussions and interactive sessions throughout the day. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, reaffirming the commitment of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the Juvenile Justice Committee and the J&K Judicial Academy towards continuous judicial education and capacity building for ensuring a sensitive, rights-based and effective juvenile justice delivery system in the Union Territory.
