After the shocking incident of rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the West Bengal government is introducing an Anti-Rape Bill. The bill, called the Aparajita Women and Child Act 2024, was presented in the special session of the assembly today. To pass this bill, a two-day special session of the assembly has been called. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is actively supporting this bill in the assembly.
Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, said, “We want this law to be implemented immediately. It is the responsibility of the state government to enforce it. We expect results. We fully support you, but you must guarantee that this bill will be implemented without delay.”
Key Provisions of the Anti-Rape Bill:
- The bill includes the death penalty for criminals who commit rape and murder.
- Provision for the death penalty within 36 days of filing the chargesheet.
- Investigations must be completed within 21 days.
- A punishment of 5 years imprisonment for those who assist the criminal.
- Special Aparajita Task Forces will be created in each district to handle cases of rape, acid attacks, and harassment.
- Life imprisonment for acid attacks, as they are treated as seriously as rape.
- Punishment of 3-5 years for revealing the identity of the victim.
- Amendments to BNSS provisions to speed up the investigation and trial process.
- All cases of sexual assault and acid attacks must be heard and resolved within 30 days.
How Will the Aparajita Bill Become Law?
For the Aparajita Bill to become law, it needs the approval of the Governor and the President of India. After being passed in the assembly, the bill will be sent to the Governor for signature and then to the President for approval. With 223 out of 294 members of the assembly supporting the ruling Trinamool Congress, the bill is expected to pass in the assembly. However, it still needs the Governor and President’s approval, which can be challenging.
Challenges in Passing the Anti-Rape Bill:
The 2019 Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill and the 2020 Maharashtra Shakti Bill, which also had death penalties for all rape and gangrape cases, were passed unanimously in their state assemblies but have not yet received the President’s approval. This shows how difficult it can be to turn such bills into law.
See here also : mamata-banerjees-top-officials-have-special-ties-to-up-and-uttarakhand
The bill proposes amendments to BNS, BNSS, and parts of the 2012 POCSO Act, including the death penalty for various forms of sexual assault, regardless of the victim’s age.
In response to the growing protests demanding justice for the doctor in Kolkata, CM Mamata Banerjee announced the introduction of the Anti-Rape Bill. The bill includes several provisions to address crimes against women and children, aiming to prevent such incidents in the future.
