Why it is in news?
- The Bill to award the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 will be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament
- The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018 once approved by Parliament will replace the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance promulgated on April 21 following an outcry over the rape and murder of a minor girl at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and the rape of a woman at Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.
- The Cabinet gave its approval to the draft Bill prepared by the Home Ministry.
- The Bill stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12.
- A provision for the death penalty has been provided for rapists of girls aged under 12.
Longer term
- The minimum punishment in the case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10.
- Under the Bill, in case of the rape of a girl aged under 16 and above 12, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20.
- The punishment for gang rape of a girl aged below 16 and above 12 will be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.
Correcting an anomaly
- While punishments for crimes against girls was enhanced through amendment to the IPC, there was no mention of crimes against boys.
- The government will seek to correct that anomaly as well.
- POCSO amendment for enhanced punishment for sexual assaults on young boys has been approved by the Law Ministry.
Source
The Hindu