Allahabad High Court: No Ossification Test Needed If Documents Establish Minor’s Age

The Allahabad High Court held that ossification tests are not required to determine age if valid documents already establish that the accused is a minor.

Interpreting Section 94 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, the Court emphasised that school certificates or matriculation records must be given primary importance, followed by birth certificates from authorities.

Medical tests like ossification can be resorted to only if such documents are unavailable. In the present case, school records showed the accused was below 16 years at the time of the incident.

The Court held that the Juvenile Justice Board’s direction for a medical test was unnecessary.

[Pradeep Kori @ Pradeep Harijan (Minor) Thru. Father (Natural Guardian) v. State Of U.P. & Anr.]