Pune: The appointment of new members to Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Pune will likely take place after the state assembly polls, a senior women and child development (WCD) official said on Wednesday. The state govt on Oct 8 terminated the services of two JJB members following an inquiry into their decision to grant bail to a 17-year-old involved in the May 19 Porsche Taycan crash case. The bail conditions included writing a 300-word essay on road safety among other terms.
"A new selection committee needs to be constituted by the new govt before we can proceed with the appointment process," a senior WCD official told TOI. The official said a member of the present selection committee is retiring, so a new selection committee has to be constituted, which needs sanction. With the election code of conduct in force in the state since Oct 15, these appointments cannot happen.
The department can issue notifications for new appointments only after a committee is formed. To ensure continued functioning of the board, two members have been given additional charge to hear pending cases. "This is a temporary arrangement until permanent appointments are made," the official added.
JJB consists of two members appointed by WCD department while one member is selected by the judiciary. The members are appointed by the department for a period of three years, and their appointments can be terminated if their conduct is not according to rules. The notification issued on Oct 8 stated that after h.