SC seeks stricter norms for punishing serious juvenile criminals

The Supreme Court today pressed for a stricter and more detailed Juvenile Justice Act, particularly in view of the fact that many heinous crimes, especially rape, are committed by those under the age of 18.

The SC observation comes just a few days after union minister Maneka Gandhi demanded that juveniles accused of rape be treated on a par with adults.

"You can't have a cut-off date for crime like you have for government jobs," the Supreme Court observed.

Earlier Maneka Gandhi had commented that according to police, 50 per cent of all sexual crimes were committed by "16-year-olds who know the Juvenile Justice Act so they can do [get away with] it. But now for premeditated murder, rape, if we bring them into the purview of the adult world, then it will scare them."