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Ammendments to POCSO Act
Why is it in news?
- The government approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
- It is to bring punishments for sexual assaults on boys on a par with those against girls.
- These include the provision of death penalty when the child is under 12 years and when a penetrative sexual assault is committed by a relative.
Salient Features:
- POCSO Act, 2012:
- The POCSO Act, 2012 was enacted to Protect the Children from Offences of Sexual Assault, Sexual harassment and pornography with due regard for safeguarding the interest and well-being of children.
- The Act defines a child as any person below eighteen years of age, and regards the best interests and welfare of the child as matter of paramount importance at every stage, to ensure the healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of the child. The act is gender neutral.
- Amendments:
- The Union Cabinet approved changes to Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which deals with punishments for aggravated penetrative sexual assault, enhancing the punishment of 10 years to life imprisonment and 20 years to imprisonment for remainder of a person’s natural life or with death.
- This category of offence includes assault on a child under the age of 12 years,
- Gang rape, assault on a mentally or physically challenged child or one that is committed by a relative or a custodian of a child.
- According to National Crime Record Bureau data as many as 94.6% of total crimes under the POCSO Act as well as Section 376 are committed either by relatives or acquaintances.
- The government has also amended the definition of aggravated penetrative sexual assault to include an offence that causes the death of a child.
- The minimum punishment for penetrative sexual assault has been increased from seven years in jail to 10 years.
Source
The HIndu