Haryana Assembly Passes Bill Advocating Death Penalty For Rape Of Girls Aged 12 Years And Below

The Haryana assembly today passed the bill advocating capital punishment for those convicted of rape of minors below 12 years of age. 

In a meeting of the state Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar last month, it was decided to make the existing criminal laws related to sexual offences more stringent and bring a proposal seeking death penalty for convicted rapists of minor girls aged 12 years or below. 

The Haryana Cabinet had decided to amend legal provisions like section 376A (Intercourse by a man with his wife during separation), 376D (rape by one or more persons constituting a group), 354 (Assault or criminal force against woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354 D(2) (stalking) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to the proposal that recieved the state cabinet's nod, the punishment under section 354 of the IPC will not be less than two years (earlier not less than one year) but may extend upto seven years (earlier upto five years) and shall also liable to fine.

Also, under section 354D (2) of the IPC, whoever commits the offence or stalking will be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years and be punished on a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment for not less than three years, but which may extend to seven years (earlier up to five years), the statement said.

Significantly, Chief Minister Khattar, who had expressed anguish and concern over recent incidents of rape, had said that provisions of "harsher punishment for rape" were required in the state.

Early this month, the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly became the second state in the country after Madhya Pradesh approving death sentence for those convicted of such rapes .

They provide, that whoever commits rape/gang-rape on a girl upto twelve years of age shall be punishable with death or a rigorous imprisonment which shall not be less than fourteen years and 20 years respectively for the sections and which may extend to imprisonment for life, which means imprisonment for the remainder of the offender's whole life, and with fine. 

(Inputs from agencies)