Srinagar, Apr 21 (KNS): Amid outrage over the Kuthua incident and other rape incidents in various parts of the India, The central government today approved the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, on death penalty for those convicted of raping children below the age of 12.
Official sources told KNS that the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met today morning in New Delhi, took serious note of rape of a minor girl in Khutua and other rape incidents in various parts of the India.
“In view seriousness of the issue, the Cabinet approved an ordinance to be promulgated to provide for stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years age and below 12 years of age,” sources said.
Death penalty has been provided for rapists of girls below 12 years of age. The ordinance is aimed at effective deterrence against commission of rape and instilling a sense of security among women and especially young girls in the country.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Sources said that among the salient features of the ordinance is that the minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.
In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which shall mean imprisonment till that person’s natural life.
The punishment for gangrape of a girl less than 16 years of age will invariably be imprisonment for rest of life of the convict.
The ordinance provides for stringent punishment for rape of a girl under 12 years, minimum 20 years’ imprisonment or imprisonment for rest of life or with death.
In case of gangrape of a girl below 12 years, punishment will be imprisonment for rest of life or death sentence. (KNS)