Death penalty for child rapists approved by Union Cabinet
Union Cabinet approves ordinance to provide for stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years age and below 12 years of age. Death penalty has been provided for rapists of girls below 12 years of age. The criminal law amendment ordinance seeks to amend the India Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. This will introduce a provision that will help courts to sentence convicts of crimes of the same kinds give the death penalty. The ordinance would now be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind for his approval. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment; minimum 20 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment for rape of a girl under 12 years has been provided in the Ordinance. After wrapping up the five-day visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned an urgent meeting of Union Cabinet at 11 am on Saturday wherein the decision was taken. The Cabinet also approved death penalty for an accused of raping a child below than 12 years of age. Centre has cleared criminal law amendment ordinance which also includes POCSO Act as part of that amendment. -PTC News
