JUDGMENT :

Nitin Jamdar, J.

Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. Respondents waive service. Taken up for disposal.

2. Bachpan Bachao Andolan, the Petitioner, is a non-governmental organization working for the protection and advocacy of children's rights. The founder of this organization was conferred the Nobel Peace Prize for their contribution to safeguarding the rights and well-being of children. The Respondents are the authorities representing the State of Maharashtra. The focus of this petition is on the inadequacies and deficiencies in the efforts of the State of Maharashtra to implement legislation about the rights of children and the orders passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The Petitioners highlighting these shortcomings seek directions to enhance the State's efforts in this domain.

History of legislation

3. To place the subject matter in context a brief overview of the backdrop to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 would be useful. A report published by the Tata Institute of Social Science commissioned by the State of Maharashtra provides a comprehensive background on the development of the legislative framework related to the subject. In British India, the Apprentice Act of 1850 marked the initial legislative effort to address juvenile delinquency. This Act empowered the courts to consider children engaged in minor offences as apprentices rather than resorting to imprisonment. Subsequently, the Reformatory School Act of 1897 allowed for the redirection of children sentenced to imprisonment to reformatory schools. The Criminal Procedure Act of 1898 then introduced specialized procedures for juvenile offenders. Madras, Bengal, and Bombay provinces enacted their Children Acts in 1920, 1922, and 1924, respectively. The Borstal Schools Act, established in 1929, aimed at detecting, training, and treating adolescent offenders, with the first Borstal School established in Punjab in 1912. The Constitution of India specifies the obligation of the State towards children, guaranteeing their rights and protection. Specific provisions for children include free and compulsory education between ages 6 and 14 (Article 21A) and the prohibition of children's employment in hazardous occupations (Article 24). Article 39 under the Directive Principles of State Policy, and Article 45 calls for state provision for early childhood care and education for all children up to the age of six years. Article 47 enjoins the State to enhance living standards, improve health, and raise nutrition levels.

4. The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (Beijing Rules) were issued in 1985, and the "Riyadh Guidelines" for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency in 1990. India as a State Party to the Beijing Rules and Riyadh Guidelines has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and is obligated to fulfil the provisions of these international instruments. Following the ratification of various international instruments, several existing legislations underwent amendments. New legislation, including the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition) Act, 1986; Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994; Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006; Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act, 2009; and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, were enacted. Policy initiatives included the National Charter for Children and the National Plan of Action for Children. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Juvenile Justice Act were incorporated into the Juvenile Equity (Care and Assurance) Act 2000, which, with some modifications, became the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act in 2001.

5. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act of 2001 was enacted to establish Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, Special Police Units, and appropriate Homes for children in need of care and protection. The goal