The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

The Arunachal Pradesh Gazette

EXTRAORDINARY

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY

No. 270, Vol. XXXIII, Naharlagun, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Asvina 1, 1948 (Saka)

GOVERNMENT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

ITANAGAR

—————

NOTIFICATION

The 17th September, 2026

No. DWCD-32/1/2026.--- The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh is pleased to notify “Standard Operating

Procedure (SOP) for Communication and Compliance of Orders Passed by Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)”,

with effect from the date of issue of this Notification.

Mimum Tayeng, IAS

Commissioner,

Women and Child Development Department,

Government of Arunachal Pradesh,

Itanagar.

The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

For

Communication and Compliance of Orders Passed by

Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)

Women and Child Development Department

Government of Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar

The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Communication and Compliance of Orders Passed by

Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)

WHEREAS, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh is committed to implement the Juvenile Justice

(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015;

AND WHEREAS, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in its Judgement and order dated 6th April, 2026 passed

in Criminal Appeal No. 2010 of 2026 (Juvenile Delinquent Vs. State of U.P and Ors.) has directed SOP with a

view to ensuring prompt execution of orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Boards;

AND WHEREAS, it has been considered necessary to streamline the procedure for the prompt

communication and execution of orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Boards, particularly in matters relating to

declaration of juvenility, grant or refusal of bail to a child in conflict with law and transfer of such child to an

Observation Home or Place of Safety, as the case may be.

AND WHEREAS, instances have been noticed where delays in communication and execution of orders

passed by the Boards have resulted in unnecessary detention of children in conflict with law in jails or delay in

their transfer to appropriate institutions, contrary to the mandate and objectives of the Juvenile Justice (Care and

Protection of Children) Act, 2015;

NOW, THEREFORE, in compliance with, the Hon’ble Supreme Court, judgement and order dated

6th April, 2026 passed in Criminal Appeal No. 2010 of 2026 (Juvenile Delinquent Vs. State of U.P and Ors.) the

Government of Arunachal Pradesh hereby make the following Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as

follows,-

Applicability :

This SOP shall apply to :

(i)

All Juvenile Justice Boards in Arunachal Pradesh

(ii) Superintendents of District Jails

(iii) Superintendents/Officials of Observation Homes / Place of Safety

(iv) District Probation Officers (DPO) / District Child Protection Officer (DCPO)

(v) All other authorities responsible for implementing orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs)

2. Communication of Orders :

The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) shall, as far as practicable, communicate the order forthwith and, in

any case, not later than the next working day to the concerned authorities (Superintendent of Jail,

Superintendent of Observation Home, District Probation Officer and DLSA) :

(i)

Orders Declaring a Person as Juvenile :

Every order declaring a person as a juvenile / child in conflict with law shall immediately be

communicated to :

(a)

Superintendent of the concerned District Jail (if the juvenile is in the jail)

(b)

Superintendent of the Observation Home / Place of Safety/Special Home

(c)

District Probation Officer / District Child Protection Officer

(d)

All competent authority in the District

(e)

Juvenile and his/her family members or guardian

Communication shall be made through :

(a)

Official E-mail to the Official E-mail ID of the concerned authority

(b)

Speed Post/Registered Post

(c)

Special messenger/ Process Server.

(II) Orders Granting Bail :

Whenever bail is granted under Section 12(1) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children)

Act, 2015, the order shall be immediately communicated to:

(a)

Superintendent of the District Jail

(b)

Superintendent of Observation Home/Place of Safety/ Special Home

(c)

District Probation Officer /District Child Protection Officer

(d)

All other Competent Authority

(e)

Juvenile and his/her family members or guardian

The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

The communication shall be sent through :

(a)

E-mail on the same day, followed by dispatch through Registered Post/Speed Post

(b)

Special Messenger/Process Server.

(iii) Orders Refusing Bail :

"Where bail is denied under Section 12, the Board shall pass appropriate directions for

placement of the child in an Observation Home or Place of Safety, as applicable, strictly in

accordance with Section 12(3) of the Act."

Whenever bail is refused under Section 12, the Board shall pass appropriate directions for placement

of the child in an Observation Home or Place of Safety, as applicable, strictly in accordance

with Section 12(3) of the Act.

Accordingly :

(a) The order refusing bail shall specifically contain a direction for transfer of the child from jail to an

Observation Home / Place of Safety/ Special Home

(b) The direction for such transfer shall form an integral part of the order passed by the Board.

the Observation Home/Place of Safety/Special Home to ensure prompt transfer.

(iv) Remand Orders in respect to Child in Conflict with Law :

(A) In every instance where an alleged Child in Conflict with Law (CICL) is produced before the Juvenile

Justice Board (JJB) or the competent Court or an application for first remand is preferred by the

Police/Investigating Agency and thereafter in subsequent remand orders, the Board shall, while

adjudicating upon such remand application, explicitly record in such judicial order :

(a)

Place from where the CICL is produced : The specific location or facility (eg, Police Station

Observation Home, Place of Safety, or Jail) from where the child is produced, and

(b)

The Destination of Remand: The specific institution or facility (eg, Observation Home, Place of

Safety, or Jail) where the child is being remanded to serve the period of custody as per the

directions of the Board/Court.

(B) To ensure strict compliance with the procedural safeguards under the Juvenile Justice (Care and

Protection of Children) Act, all Principal Magistrates and Members of the Juvenile Justice Board are

hereby directed to adhere to the following guidelines pertaining to recording of age of Children in

Conflict with Law (CICL) in the remand orders.

(a)

At the Stage of first remand: The concerned Magistrate/Court, at the stage of first remand,

upon perusal of the age-related documents or other material available on record and where it

appears that the person produced before it may be a Child in Conflict with Law, shall record a

brief prima facie observation regarding the apparent age of such person in the remand order and

shall thereafter proceed in accordance with the applicable provisions of law.

(b)

Pending Age Determination Inquiry: In cases where the statutory inquiry into the age of the

CICL is pending at the time of consideration of the remand application, the Board shall

mandatorily record the age as claimed by the child and mentioned in the prosecution document

in the remand order. Such recording shall be provisional and subject to the final outcome of the

age determination inquiry.

(c)

Concluded Age Determination Inquiry : In cases where the age determination inquiry has

been concluded, the age as determined and adjudicated by the Board/Court shall be specifically

mentioned in the remand order.

Mandatory Communication Protocol :

All Juvenile Justice Boards, with regard to the orders in the following matters:

(a)

Age determination

(b)

Bail orders (involving grant or denial of bail)

(c)

Remand orders shall mandatorily communicate to all concerned in the following manner:

(i)

Digitally communicated through Official E-mail immediately upon pronouncement to the Official

E-mail ID of the concerned authority (Superintendent of Jail, Superintendent of Observation

Home, District Probation Officer and DLSA)

(ii)

Dispatched through Speed Post/Registered Post on the same day or the next working day

(iii)

Dispatched through Special Messenger or Process Server

(iv)

Communicated to:

The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

(a)

Superintendent of Jail (if applicable)

(b)

Superintendent of Observation, Home/Place of Safety/Special Home

(c)

District Probation Officer

(d)

All Competent Authority

(e)

Juvenile and his/her family members or guardian.

Acknowledgement of Receipt :

To ensure accountability and effective monitoring :

(i)

The receiving authority (Superintendent of Jail, Superintendent of Observation Home, District

Probation Officer and DLSA) shall issue a written acknowledgement of receipt of the order passed by

the JJB.

(ii) Such acknowledgement shall be sent:

(a) By E-mail within 24 hours and

(b) By official letter thereafter.

(iii) The acknowledgement shall confirm :

(a) Receipt of the order

(b) Steps taken for compliance (release / transfer / production etc. as may be required)

Compliance Reporting :

(i)

The receiving authority (Superintendent of Jail, Superintendent of Observation Home, District

Probation Officer and DLSA) shall submit a compliance report to the Juvenile Justice Board within

forty-eight hours or immediately upon execution of the order, whichever is earlier

(ii) The compliance report shall include :

(a) Date and time of receipt of the order

(b) Date and time of release or transfer of the juvenile

6. Record Maintenance : (1) In every District, Juvenile Justice Board, Superintendent of Jail, Superintendent

of Observation Home, District Probation Officer and DLSA shall maintain a Communication and Compliance

(a) Date of order

(b) Nature of order

(d) Postal dispatch details

(e) Acknowledgement received

(f)

Compliance status

(2) In the Observation homes and JJ Boards across the State, it shall be mandatory to make a chart

showing the following details :

(a) Date of Admission : The specific date the juvenile was admitted to the Observation Home/Special

Home/Place of Safety

(b) Date of order by which juvenility was decided.

(d) Status and date of order of Bail

(e) Date of release

(f)

Place where the Child is currently residing

Monitoring Mechanism :

(i)

The District Judge and District Magistrate shall periodically review compliance with this SOP.

(ii) The District Probation Officer shall assist in monitoring implementation.

(iii) Any instance of non-compliance or delay shall be reported to District Judge and to the Hon'ble High

Court, if required.

(iv) The Juvenile Justice Board shall conduct a Weekly Review Meeting regarding all the orders passed

and the meeting will focus on the status of compliances and address any delays in the execution of

transfers or releases.

Legal Aid Integration :

A copy of the order(s) passed by the Juvenile Justice Board may also be sent to the State or District Legal

Services Authorities (subject to privacy and confidentiality constraints) for assisting the Juvenile / his family

members for effective implementation of the order(s).

The Arunachal Pradesh Extraordinary Gazette, September 23, 2026

9. Coordination with State Government :

For effective implementation of this SOP, necessary coordination may be undertaken with the Government

of Arunachal Pradesh/ District Child Protection Officer including

(a)

Ensuring functional Official E-mail systems

(b)

Availability of transport for transfer of juveniles

(c)

Institutional coordination between Jails and Observation Homes.

10. Nothing contained in this SOP shall be construed as permitting the disclosure of the identity of any

child in conflict with law or child in need of care and protection. All communications made pursuant

to this SOP shall strictly comply with the confidentiality provisions contained in the Juvenile Justice

(Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the rules framed thereunder.

Mimum Tayeng, IAS

Commissioner,

Women and Child Development Department,

Government of Arunachal Pradesh,

Itanagar.

__________

Published and Printed by Directorate of Printing and Stationery, Naharlagun.- 661/2026-DoP-250+Director (WCD)-100-9-2026.