Bill seeking death penalty for child rape passed: Things you should know

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018, which will allowsthe  death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12. 

The bill seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated by the government in April after an outcry over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu & Kashmir. 

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018 was supported by most members across the political spectrum and passed by a voice vote, PTI reported. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, "The stringent law was aimed at providing safety to minor girls."

Here are few things you should know about the Bill: 

1. According to the new bill, there will be stringent punishment for rapists of girls under 12. The punishment for rape of a woman aged under 12 years will be rigorous imprisonment of at least 20 years but may extend to imprisonment for life or death.

2. The minimum punishment in cases of rape of women has been increased from the rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

3. According to the bill, in case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life. 

4. The punishment for the gangrape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.

5. The measure also provides for speedy investigations and trial. The time limit for the investigation of all cases of rape has been prescribed, which has to be mandatorily completed within two months.

6. It has also been prescribed that a court has to give notice of 15 days to a public prosecutor and the representative of the victim before deciding on bail applications in case of rape of a girl under 16 years of age.

7. New provision proposes that court, where rape cases are being taken up, should be presided by a woman judge

8. The statement in the rape cases should also be recorded by a woman police officer

9. Forensic kits should be made available in all police stations for better investigation and forensic laboratories are proposed to be set up in all states and union territories

10. The bill seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 to provide that the minimum punishment for rape of a woman under 16 years will be rigorous imprisonment for at least 20 years which can extend to life.