Par panel hears Home Secy on anti-rape measures

Members of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs examining the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 today heard the views of Home Secretary R K Singh on the proposed measure.

During the meeting, members felt that though law and order is a state subject, they should recommend fast tracking of cases relating to sexual offences, increasing the strength of women in police forces, time-bound completion of cases related to sexual crimes and mandatory lodging of FIRs in such cases.

They felt that the recommendations would help strengthen the hands of the government.

The recommendations could form part of the report on the Bill being examined by the Committee.

Singh is understood to have informed the committee that the issues have already been taken up at the meeting of state police chiefs held recently.

The Committee, headed by M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP), is learnt to have asked the Home Secretary to furnish details of the issues discussed in the meeting.

On the issue on handing down capital punishment of those convicted of rape, Singh told the panel that the opinion on the issue is split and the government was awaiting the recommendations of the Justice J S Verma committee set up to propose amendments to laws relating to crime against women.

Naidu is learnt to have asked Singh to provide the Committee a copy of the Verma panel recommendations, once it is submitted to the government. MORE