Death Penalty For Rape Bill To Be Tabled In Parliament

The bill proposing to award death penalty to rape convicts of girls below 12 years of age is set to be introduced in the Parliament's ongoing monsoon session.

The bill -- prepared by the Home Ministry -- has already been approved by the cabinet.

Cabinet approves bill

On Wednesday (July 18), the Cabinet decided to introduce the bill in the monsoon session.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reported The Hindu.

Once approved by Parliament, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018 will replace the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance.

Read Also : HRW, Delhi HC Condemn Death Penalty against Child Rape Convicts

The bill gathered steam after two cases of rape against minors came across. One was the rape and murder of a minor girl at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and the second one being in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.

What does the bill include?

Apart from the provision of death penalty for rape against minors, the limit of minimum punishment in the case of a woman has also been increased from seven to ten years.

In the case of rape of a girl from the age of 12 to 16 years, the punishment period has been increased from 10 to 20 years.

Period of punishment for gangrape of a girl from 12-16 years of age is going to be will be imprisonment according to the bill.

Crimes against boys not addressed

While amendments to IPC have been made to increase punishment for crimes against women, the issue of crime against boys or men hasn't been addressed.

A spokesperson of the Women and Child Development Ministry said, “POCSO amendment for enhanced punishment for sexual assaults on young boys has been approved by the Law Ministry. It will be sent to the Cabinet in two or three days.”

Read Also: Nirbhaya Verdict Just; But Death Penalty No Solution: Activists

Kriti Dwivedi is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv