Lok Sabha passed Criminal Law 'Amendment' Bill 2018: Details, Features, Highlights

Lok Sabha passed Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2018: Details, Features, Highlights

Lok Sabha on 3oth July 2018 has passed Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018 to provide death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018 has now replaced the ordinance promulgated by President in April 2018 and amends Indian Penal Code (IPC), Criminal Procedure Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Indian Evidence Act.

The Bill provides for stringent punishment of jail term of minimum 20 years or life imprisonment or death for the rape of girl less than 12 years. It states punishment with imprisonment for rest of life or death sentence in case of gang rape of girl below 12 years.

The Bill increases minimum punishment from 10 years to 20 years for a crime of rape of a girl under 16 years, which can be extended to imprisonment for the rest of life.

The Bill increases minimum punishment for rape of women from the rigorous imprisonment of 7 years to 10 years, which can be extended to life imprisonment.

The Bill provides for speedy investigation and trial, which must be completed in two months. It proposes 6 months’ time limit for disposal of appeals in rape cases. It provides dedicated manpower for the investigation of rape cases in time bound manner.

The Bill provides no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. It has also been provided that court has to give notice of 15 days to Public Prosecutor and representative of a victim before deciding bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

The Bill has provision for maintaining national database and profile of sexual offenders by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). This data will be regularly shared with States/UTs for monitoring, tracking, and investigation including verification of antecedents by police.