According to reports, in a bid to curb crimes against women & children in Maharashtra, on Wednesday, the state cabinet approved 2 draft bills that propose the death penalty for heinous cases of rape, acid attack & child abuse. The bills also have provisions to increase the quantum of punishment, including life term, cover new categories of crimes, & propose a mechanism for speedy trials.
The 2 interconnected bills, which will be tabled in the winter session of the state legislature next week as part of the Shakti Act, are the Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law (Maharashtra Amendment) Act 2020 & the Special Court & Machinery for Implementation of Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law 2020. Drafted on the lines of the Disha Act framed by Andhra Pradesh, they seek to amend relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedural Code (CrPC) & Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said once the bills are cleared by both Houses of the legislature, they will be sent to the Centre for approval.
Minister Varsha Gaikwad said that “The media is not allowed to report the name of a rape victim. The proposed Acts will provide similar protection to victims of molestation & even acid attack".
The draft bills propose to amend IPC Section 376 (rape) to increase the quantum of punishment to life term or death penalty in heinous cases where there’s adequate conclusive evidence or exemplary punishment is warranted.
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