Child Protection In India: A Critical Evaluation Of Legal Frameworks Addressing Crimes And Violence Against Children
- IJLLR Journal
- Jun 2
- 1 min read
Khushi Pandey, Amity Law School, Amity University, Madhya Pradesh
ABSTRACT
The protection of children from crimes, exploitation, and violence constitutes one of the most pressing imperatives of contemporary Indian jurisprudence. This research paper undertakes a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the legal frameworks in India designed to address crimes and violence against children, tracing their development from pre-independence legislative antecedents to the sophisticated statutory architecture of the present day. The study examines the multi-layered legal structure comprising the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, and the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, within which questions of child protection and criminal accountability are adjudicated.
The paper devotes particular attention to landmark decisions of the Supreme Court of India, including Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India (2011), Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017), Nipun Saxena v. Union of India (2019), and Alakh Alok Srivastava v. Union of India (2018), which have collectively shaped the doctrinal landscape of child protection and institutional accountability. The study further investigates contemporary challenges including online child sexual exploitation, the inadequacy of rural child protection infrastructure, and institutional gaps. The research concludes with policy recommendations directed at strengthening the legal framework and ensuring that the best interests of the child remain the paramount consideration in all legislative and judicial interventions.
Keywords: Child Protection, POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice, Child Sexual Abuse, Child Labour, Child Marriage, Child Trafficking, Best Interests of the Child, Special Courts, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Supreme Court of India.
