Bijender Singh vs State Of Haryana And Anr

The Supreme Court held that the respondent, being over 16 years of age at the time of the offence, is not entitled to the benefits of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, as the Act is prospective and the date of commission of the offence is relevant. The Court clarified that under the Juvenile Justice Act of 1986, a male juvenile is defined as one who has not attained the age of 16, thus the respondent was not considered a juvenile at the time of the offence. The appeal was allowed, affirming the dismissal of the application for juvenile status under the 2000 Act.