CJI: ‘Child in conflict with law’ describes circumstance, not identity
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized that the term 'child in conflict with law' refers to a circumstance rather than an identity. He urged for the removal of such children's names from news and internet records to prevent long-term stigmatization.
Why it matters
This reflects a significant shift in judicial philosophy regarding juvenile justice and the importance of rehabilitation over permanent labeling.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday (October 10, 2026) said names of 'children in conflict with the law' must be kept out of the news and off the internet, and the phrase describes a circumstance, not an identity.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 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" organised by the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court in association with UNICEF.
The CJI said 10 years is a short time for a statute, but it is more than half of a childhood.
The 2015 Act, he said, makes a wager that a child given a second chance is far more likely to become a productive member of society than one branded as a criminal.
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