Lok Sabha clears Bill for death penalty for rape of minor

New Delhi: Lok Sabha has cleared the Bill sanctioning a punishment from 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to death penalty for a person convicted for raping a minor girl below the age of 12. Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju welcomed this development and said that this will ensure added safety for minor girls.

There is a provision in the Indian Penal Code for punishment for a criminal accused of atrocities against women. However, there was no specific provision of punishment for the beasts involved in gang rape of minor girls in the Penal Code. Therefore, this Bill was moved in the Lok Sabha to include a specific provision for the offence. There were discussions on this Bill and the Bill for the amendment was passed by the Lok Sabha. The person committing the crime against a girl below the age of 12 years, will be handed out a minimum punishment of 20 years of rigorous imprisonment after enactment of this Bill. The provision of death penalty for accused such, has also been included in the Bill.

The government had issued an ordinance regarding this matter in the month of April. But in the last week, steps were taken to move a constitutional amendment Bill in the Parliament. Recently, there has been an increase in the horrible incidents of atrocities against minor girls around the country. There was a need for a law to punish the offenders in these shockingly heinous crimes, claimed Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju.

Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, M Thambidurai has welcomed this Bill and appealed to spread the information about it to the maximum.