Rajya Sabha passes Juvenile Justice Bill: As it happened

Delhi: Those aged 16 and above will now be tried as adults for heinous crimes like rape as Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill, days after the juvenile convict in the ghastly 2012 gangrape-cum-murder case walked free for lack of such a legal provision. Watched from the galleries by the distraught parents of Nirbhaya, the victim in the the December, 2012 incident, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, which provides for lowering the age from 18 years, was passed by Rajya Sabha by a voice vote with Congress support after a walkout by Left parties.

22 December 2015

20:29 IST

Strength of democracy was again reflected today when Parliament respecting public sentiments, debated Juvenile Justice Bill in one voice. Categorizing juveniles indulging in heinous crimes as adults is fully justified but we can never ignore importance of reformatory measures. Our society is passing through a transition period. Conflict of cultures is creating such an atmosphere when children sometimes go astray: Shivraj Singh Chouhan, MP CM.

19:50 IST

I think the bill should have been sent to the Select Committee: Sitaram Yechury, CPI.