The Juvenile Justice Board would be competent to decide on the controversy over whether the teenager accused in the Mercedes hit-and-run case should be tried as a major since he was just four days shy of his 18th birthday on the day of the accident, legal experts say.

“Since the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 has come into force on January 1, 2016, whether the accused teenager driver be tried as an adult should be decided by the JJB,” senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi told PTI.

Explaining the procedure, he said the Board will carry out a “preliminary assessment” whether the accused has the level of maturity to be tried as an adult”. Mr Tulsi said the fact that the boy was just four days short of his 18th birthday would have a bearing on deciding his level of understanding.