JJ Act Bars Appeal Against Juvenile Acquittal; Victim Cannot Seek Copy of Order: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that since the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 expressly bars an appeal against an order of acquittal passed by a Juvenile Justice Board, a victim or her family cannot claim an enforceable right to obtain a certified copy of such an order for the purpose of challenging it, particularly where disclosure would compromise the privacy of a juvenile in conflict with law.

Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma made the observation while dealing with a plea filed by the father of a minor sexual assault victim, along with a civil society organisation, which examined the legality of the Juvenile Justice Board’s refusal to supply a copy of its acquittal order.

The petition arose from an FIR registered under Sections 307 and 376 of the IPC, in which the juvenile accused was acquitted by JJ Board-II on 19 February 2015.

Rejecting the challenge, the Court said that Section 21 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 places a statutory embargo on disclosure of any report or order that may reveal the identity of a juvenile in conflict with law.

“The provision is intended to protect the privacy, dignity, and future prospects of the juvenile and has to be strictly construed,” the Court said.

Court further relied on Section 52 of the JJ Act, which provides a right of appeal to “any person aggrieved” by an order of a competent authority under the Act, but expressly excludes appeals against orders of acquittal passed by a Juvenile Justice Board.

Referring to an earlier coordinate bench ruling in X Minor through Father Natural Guardian v. State, the Court reiterated, “Where no right of appeal exists in law, no corresponding enforceable right to seek a certified copy of the order for the purpose of challenge can be claimed, particularly when such disclosure may also infringe the confidentiality mandate under Section 21 of the JJ Act, 2000.”

Thus, Justice Sharma held that since neither the victim nor her father possessed a statutory right to challenge the juvenile’s acquittal, the refusal of the JJ Board to provide a copy of the acquittal order dated 19.02.2015 could not be faulted.

Case title: Social Action Forum For Manav Adhikar & Anr. v. State Of Nct Of Delhi & Anr.

Bench: Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma

Order Date: 27 December 2025