High Court Rules Against Medical Tests for Age in Juvenile Cases

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court ruled that it's illegal to conduct medical examinations to determine minors' age when official documents are available. This decision overturned previous court orders, granting bail to a minor charged under the POCSO Act, emphasizing reliance on school and municipal birth records.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has declared it illegal to conduct medical examinations to determine a minor's age when official documents like birth certificates or school records are readily available. The ruling came as part of a case involving a minor accused of molesting a 15-year-old girl in Pratapgarh district.

A bench led by Justice Manish Kumar overturned previous orders from the Juvenile Justice Board and the Special POCSO Court by granting bail to the accused. The case highlighted discrepancies in the accused's school records, which suggested he was under 16 at the time of the incident, labeling the medical examination order as contrary to the law.

The High Court emphasized adherence to Section 94 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. It outlined the protocol for determining minors' age, prioritizing school and municipal birth records over medical evaluations. The court also imposed conditions for bail, requiring the accused to regularly report to a district probation officer.

(With inputs from agencies.)