Overview

• At a Supreme Court–UNICEF consultation in New Delhi, the Chief Justice warned of online harassment, cyberbullying, digital stalking, data misuse and deepfakes, urging specialised statutes plus enforcement, education and awareness.
• CJI Gavai called for training of police, educators, health workers and local administrators using sensitive, trauma‑informed approaches so responses match digital‑era risks.
• Justice BV Nagarathna urged child‑sensitive procedures in courts and police stations to prevent retraumatisation, citing a child sex ratio that improved only from 914 to 929 girls per 1,000 boys and high anaemia among girls aged 15–19 (59%).
• She highlighted justice‑system gaps, noting that only 4.8% of 10,659 human‑trafficking cases from 2018–2022 resulted in convictions, and pointed to declines in child marriage alongside persistent dropout after secondary school.
• Justice JB Pardiwala released the Supreme Court’s Handbook on Child Rights and the Law, prepared by the Court’s Centre for Research and Planning to guide stakeholders on statutes, implementation and contemporary issues such as cyber crimes.