Shakti Act: Maharashtra Cabinet Approves Draft Bill To Curb Crimes Against Women And Children

Maharashtra cabinet approved a draft bill that proposes strict punishment for heinous crimes committed against women and children, also promising speedy trials. The Shakti criminal law draft bill, modelled on Disha Act of Andhra Pradesh and proposes stern punishments such as hefty fine, life sentence and death penalty for perpetrators.

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The two-part bill, comprising of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Special Court and Machinery for Implementation of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law, 2020, will be tabled in the two-day winter legislative assembly session that begins on December 14, reported The Indian Express.

Here are some key proposals made in the draft bill:

• Bringing down the investigation period from two months to 15 working days.
• Bringing down the trial period of such cases to 30 working days from two months.
• Reduction of appeal period to 45 days from six months.
• Provision of rupees ten lakh as compensation for plastic surgery and facial reconstruction to acid attack survivors. The sum will be collected as fine from the convict as fine.
• Special police teams and trial courts to be set up for investigation and trial in cases of crimes against women and children.
• In case perpetrators are found guilty, the minimum sentence will be of ten years. The sentence could be extended to the remainder of a convict's natural lives or with death sentences in cases that have characteristics of being heinous in nature.

Following the cabinet meeting, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said that "After the approval of the legislature, the Bills will be sent to the Centre for its approval and then to the President."

A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said that as many as 36 special courts will be set up, each with a special public prosecutor, to deal with cases registered under the proposed Shakti Act.

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Threatening and intimidating women on social media, molestation, acid attack, non-corporation during an investigation, disclosure of the identity of an acid attack or molestation survivor, and filing a false rape complaint will also be considered as crimes, according to the Shakti Act.