📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sumita Roy Dutta
Crime
HP High Court Orders DGP to Issue Child Victim Age Verification Guidelines
✍️ Live Law
🗓 18 Sep 2026, 06:37 PM
👁 14
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the Director General of Police to formulate and issue guidelines for establishing the age of child victims, citing repeated investigative shortcomings.
The Himachal Pradesh High Court, in a recent ruling, instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to develop and issue comprehensive guidelines for verifying the age of child victims in criminal investigations.
The court highlighted that repeated lapses in the investigative process had led to wrongful accusations and miscarriages of justice, especially in cases involving minors. It stressed the need for a standardized approach to age determination to protect vulnerable children.
The guidelines are expected to cover forensic methods, documentation requirements, and protocols for involving child psychologists and medical experts. They will also outline procedures for cross‑checking age claims during police interrogations and before filing charges.
By mandating these measures, the court aims to ensure that law‑enforcement agencies adhere to due process and uphold the rights of child victims, thereby reducing the risk of false convictions and safeguarding the integrity of the criminal justice system.
The court highlighted that repeated lapses in the investigative process had led to wrongful accusations and miscarriages of justice, especially in cases involving minors. It stressed the need for a standardized approach to age determination to protect vulnerable children.
The guidelines are expected to cover forensic methods, documentation requirements, and protocols for involving child psychologists and medical experts. They will also outline procedures for cross‑checking age claims during police interrogations and before filing charges.
By mandating these measures, the court aims to ensure that law‑enforcement agencies adhere to due process and uphold the rights of child victims, thereby reducing the risk of false convictions and safeguarding the integrity of the criminal justice system.