- The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on November 16, 2010 by the Minister of State Shrimati Krishna Tirath for the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Bill seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000.
- The Bill was referred to the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development on December 1, 2010. The Committee submitted its report on February 25, 2011.
- The Bill omits a provision from the Act which provided for the separate treatment of juveniles or children suffering from leprosy, sexually transmitted disease, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis, or children with unsound minds.
- The Bill also replaces a provision which gave competent authorities in special homes or children’s homes the power to move children suffering from leprosy, unsound mind, or drug addiction to special facilities for such children.
- Under the Bill, the competent authority can move children who are mentally ill or addicted to alcohol or drugs, only if such condition leads to a behavioural change in the children. He can then order their removal to a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home.
- In case the child has been removed to a psychiatric facility, the competent authority can remove the child to an Integrated Rehabilitation Centre on the basis of the discharge certificate issued by the psychiatric facility.