Press Release: Supreme Court to Host National Consultation on Ten Years of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, on October 10–11, 2026
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
New Delhi, 09th October, 2026
Supreme Court to Host National Consultation on Ten Years of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, on October 10–11, 2026
Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant to inaugurate two-day national consultation
Supreme Court and High Court Judges, senior government officials and child rights experts to deliberate on progress, challenges and priorities for the next decade
The Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court of India, in association with UNICEF, will organise a two-day National Annual Stakeholders Consultation on “Ten Years of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Progress, Challenges and Priorities for the Next Decade” on October 10–11, 2026, at the Auditorium, C-Block, Administrative Buildings Complex, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
The consultation will be inaugurated by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India, in the presence of distinguished members of the judiciary, senior government officials, child protection experts and representatives of organisations working towards the welfare and protection of children.
The inaugural session will feature opening remarks by Hon’ble Mrs. Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Chairperson, Juvenile Justice Committee, followed by introductory remarks by Ms. Cynthia McCaffrey, Country Representative, UNICEF India.
A major highlight of the inaugural session will be the release of a compendium of landmark judgments of the Supreme Court of India and High Courts relating to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, covering the period from 2015 to September 2026, by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of India.
Marking a decade of implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act, the consultation will provide a national platform to review achievements, identify implementation challenges, exchange best practices and deliberate on priorities for strengthening the juvenile justice and child protection systems over the next decade.
The deliberations will focus on key issues, including the rights of children in conflict with law, preliminary assessment in heinous offences by Juvenile Justice Boards, care and protection of vulnerable children, adoption procedures, institutional care and rehabilitation.
Dedicated technical sessions will examine the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act across States and Union Territories, drawing upon experiences from the judiciary and State Governments. Representatives from Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Delhi, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and West Bengal are scheduled to share their perspectives and experiences.
The consultation will also explore opportunities to strengthen institutional coordination, improve child-friendly justice mechanisms and promote effective rehabilitation and reintegration of children.
The two-day event will conclude on October 11, 2026, with a valedictory session featuring special remarks by Ms. Milen Kidane, Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF India, and a special address by Mr. Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. The closing remarks will be delivered by Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.B. Pardiwala, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Member, Juvenile Justice Committee.
The consultation is expected to contribute to shaping the priorities for the next decade of juvenile justice in India, with a renewed focus on protecting children’s rights, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that every child receives care, protection, dignity and access to justice.
Link to view the Inaugural Session:
https://youtube.com/live/UKaGYpXWc_s?feature=share
Link to view the Valedictory Session:
https://youtube.com/live/cwBuc1nSLoA?feature=share
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MC
