December 28, 2018:

On Friday, in a welcome move, the cabinet approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The amendments aim at introducing more stringent punishments for sexual crimes committed against children.

The decision comes in the wake of the rising number of crimes against children being reported from across the country.

Earlier this year, Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi had proposed the amendments in the aftermath of the horrific Kathua gangrape and murder case which had sparked countrywide outrage.

Citizens from all walks of life had taken to the streets in protest demanding the immediate arrest of those accused in the murder and gang-rape of a 7-year-old girl.

In a video statement she issued in April, Gandhi said that her ministry sought a death penalty for rape of children under 12 years of age.

In addition, a minimum jail term of 20 years as punishment for someone accused of raping a woman under 12 years of age has also been introduced as part of the amendment.

The announcement came from Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad during a press conference in the national capital today. The govt. has approved the death penalty in aggravated sexual offences under the POCSO Act, said Prasad.

A similar decision was taken by the Madhya Pradesh State Govt. earlier this year which announced the death penalty as punishment for sexual crimes against children.

This past year saw a number of horrific crimes against children, a majority of them sexual in nature.

It can be asserted that the cabinet's move is aimed at curbing the sexual abuse and exploitation of minors as seen in a number of cases this year, notable the Muzaffarnagar shelter home in Bihar and the Deoria shelter home in Uttar Pradesh.

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