The West Bengal government has unanimously passed the anti-rape bill amid the ongoing protests over the gruesome rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata.
The bill titled ‘Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024’, seeks to amend the punishment for sexual crimes such as rape and to impose time-bound limits for the conclusion of investigation and trial in rape cases. The Bill proposes “to create a safer environment for women and children” in the state and seeks to enhance the already prevalent penalties for rape as laid down in the BNS to ensure that the punishment is made more stringent, including the possibility of a death sentence for those found guilty of rape.
#WATCH | Kolkata: At the West Bengal Assembly, CM Mamata Banerjee says, “The lady doctor died on August 9… I spoke to the parents of the deceased on the same day the incident happened, before going to their house they were given all the audio, video, CCTV footage so that they… pic.twitter.com/gcl5jwbXmh
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2024
What does the bill entail?
– Harshest punishment for cases of harassment and rape of women
– Provisions of the POCSO Act have been further tightened
– Death penalty has been provided for rapists if their acts result in the death of the victim or they suffer severe brain damage
– Under the bill, an Aparajita Task Force will be formed, in which punishment will be given within 21 days of the preliminary report
– Routes on which nurses and female doctors travel will be covered. For this, the state’s govt has sanctioned Rs 120 crores
– CCTV cameras will be installed everywhere
– Women working at night will be given full security
(This is a developing story)
