Karnataka HC bins 2 appointments to selection panel of juvenile committee

The Karnataka High Court has set aside the appointment of two members to the Karnataka State Selection Committee under the Juvenile Justice Model Rules.

A division bench, headed by Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, said that the persons appointed lacked experience as well eligibility.

The PIL was filed by city-based advocate Sudha Katwa. The appointment of Latha Jagadishnarayan from Bagalkot and S N Badaskar from Hubballi has been quashed. The bench noted that they were appointed under the orders of a minister. The bench further observed that the subsequent order sheet recommending their names was not signed by the principal secretary of the department.

The bench noted that the experience mentioned by the persons appointed as members is not in terms with the provisions under the Act and Rules. Latha’s appointment order mentioned the experience of seven years, which is the appointment order under Jala Samvardhane. With regard to Badaskar, the bench noted that he is a lawyer by profession and the application submitted nowhere reflects that he has experience in the area of child development or child protection.

The court said that the entire object of the Act will be defeated because of such actions and advised the state government to appoint experts in the subject. The government is free to appoint persons having prescribed qualifications as per the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act of 2015, the bench said.