Earlier Today, the Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance demanding stricter punishment for rapists. In order to counter acts of rape and to ensure the safety of women and children, some major changes have been proposed under the new Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 that include death penalty to child rapists.
The amendment made some much-needed changes like death penalty to child rapists, scrapping of the provision of anticipatory bail (if the convict is minor), speedy investigation and trial of rape cases, and much more. The government has also decided to take measures like introduction of fast-track courts for trial of rape cases.
Mentioned below are the major changes made under the ordinance:
• In case of rape of women, the minimum punishment has been increased from 7 years imprisonment to 10 years of a jail sentence, extendable to life imprisonment.
• In case the victim is less than 16 years of age, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to a life sentence.
• For gangrape of a girl below 16, the punishment will be invariably a life sentence.
• For the rape of a girl under 12, a minimum punishment of 20 years of imprisonment or a life sentence or death penalty.
• In case of gangrape of a girl below 12, a punishment of life imprisonment or death sentence.
• No anticipatory bail to a person accused of rape or gangrape of a girl aged below 16 years.
• 15 days of notice to be given to the public prosecutor and representative of the victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl below 16 years of age.
• The investigation of all rape cases to be completed within two months and the trial of rape cases to be completed in two months.
• All appeals to be disposed of in 6 months.
Other Measures
• Setting up of new fast-track courts in consultation with the states, Union Territories, and High Courts.
• Creation of new posts of public prosecutors and related infrastructure to be carried out in consultation with states/UTs.
• Providing dedicated manpower for investigation of rape cases.
• Special forensic labs in each state/UT and special forensic kits to be provided in all police stations and hospitals.
• National Crime Records of Bureau to maintain a national database and profile of sexual offenders which will be shared with all states and UTs for the purpose of tracking, monitoring, and investigation of rape cases.
• One Stop Centres scheme to be extended to all districts of the country for the assistance of the victim.
