Srinagar, Jan 26 (KNO): Amid inordinate delay over setting up of selection-cum-oversight committee for appointment of members of the juvenile justice boards (JJBs) and child welfare committees (CWCs) in Jammu & Kashmir, the government has granted one more extension to members of these bodies.
The department of Social Welfare, which is the administrative department of JJBs and CWCs, has ordered an extension of two months to members of JJBs and chairpersons/ members of CWCs or till these vacancies are filled.
This is the second extension to members of JJBs and CWCs, which were constituted for the first time in 2018 in Jammu & Kashmir.
In January last year, the Social Welfare department had granted one-year extension to JJB and CWC members. “During the process of selection of fresh Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Welfare) Act, 2015 and Juvenile Justice(Child and Welfare) Model Rules, 2016, the existing Juvenile Justice Boards and Welfare Committees shall be allowed to continue their functioning for period of one year or till such fresh selections are made as per the prescribed procedure, whichever is earlier,” read the order issued by the department, a copy of which is with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
It is worthwhile to mention that members of JJBs and CWCs are appointed by a selection-cum-over sight committee headed by a former High Court judge.
The JJB is a statutory body constituted under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. It comprises of a metropolitan magistrate or a judicial magistrate of first class and two social workers.
The Child Welfare Committees are also constituted under the Juvenile Justice Act-2015.
Each CWC comprises a chairperson, and four other members, of whom at least one shall be a woman and another an expert on the matters concerning children—(KNO)