The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a conviction recorded against a person while he was a juvenile cannot be treated as a disqualification for public employment. The court said Section 19 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, expressly bars such disqualification.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra delivered the judgment while allowing the petition filed by Pundarikaksh , a teacher whose services had been terminated by Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Gauriganj, Amethi, over allegations that he had concealed his past criminal history.

The petitioner had applied for the post of postgraduate teacher in 2019 and, after successfully clearing the selection process, was issued an appointment letter. However, two

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