Juvenile Justice Board nears reality in Rourkela

 The long-standing demand for setting up a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) at Rourkela for faster delivery of justice to young offenders will soon see the light of the day.
(Express Illustrations)
(Express Illustrations)

ROURKELA:  The long-standing demand for setting up a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) at Rourkela for faster delivery of justice to young offenders will soon see the light of the day. The Sundargarh district administration has been asked to identify a space for setting up the JJB office and appointment of its members.  District child protection officer Sribanta Jena confirmed that the State Government has recently floated advertisement for appointment of members and staff while the administration has been asked to identity a suitable place for housing the JJB. 

The existing JJB operates from Sundargarh district headquarters town. Former JJB member RC Behera said the board caters to both Rourkela and Sundargarh police districts. Over the last one decade, several representations were sent to the Women and Child Development (WCD) department for the need of a JJB at Rourkela to ensure speedy disposal of pending cases and trial of new cases. 

He said most of the cases are from Rourkela police district and children in conflict with law from the Steel City and other far-flung areas are escorted to Sundargarh town for production before JJB. “The distance between Rourkela and Sundargarh is 100 km while it is around 220 km from Koida and Sundargarh. An additional JJB at Rourkela would save a lot of money, energy and time of the justice delivery system,” Behera opined. 

Sources said around 485 cases are pending with Sundargarh JJB with some being eight to 11 years old. In the last two years, cases have accumulated largely due to lawyers’ protests. Sundargarh JJB member Subhashree Ray said annually, the board receives around 300 cases with 80-90 per cent belonging to Rourkela police district limits. “A second JJB at Rourkela is the need of the hour. The upcoming JJB is likely to have an Additional District and Sessions Judge as its Principal Magistrate along with two members,” Ray added.

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