West Bengal Assembly Passes Anti-Rape Bill | What It Proposes

The West Bengal Assembly passed the state anti-rape Bill with full support from both the ruling party and the Opposition. The Bill proposes the death penalty for those convicted of rape if their actions cause the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state.

The Bill was tabled by state Law Minister Moloy Ghatak. However, the Assembly did not accept the proposed amendments to the Bill suggested by the Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari.

Titled the 'Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024,' the legislation aims to strengthen protections for women and children by revising and introducing new provisions related to rape and sexual offences.

Key Features Of Anti-Rape Bill Passed By West Bengal Assembly

1. Death penalty for rape convicts if victim dies or is in a vegetative state.

2. Life sentence(for the rest of their natural life) for rape and gangrape convicts.

3. State will form a special Aparajita Task Force from among the state police force.

4. The deadline of investigation is reduced to 21 days from the first report of the rape cases.

5. The bill aims for quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment of the guilty.

6. To punish the 'unauthorized' printing or publishing of court proceedings-related matters with imprisonment of 3 to 5 years along with fines.

7. The Bill includes measures to safeguard victims' identities, ensuring their privacy and dignity throughout the legal process.

8. It also sets penalties for police and health officials who don't act quickly or who tamper with evidence.

The Bill seeks to amend the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 to make them suitable for West Bengal.

The legislation also aims to amend sections 64, 66, 70(1), 71, 72(1), 73, 124(1) and 124 (2) of BNS, 2023, which broadly pertains to punishment for rape, rape and murder, gang-rape, repeat offenders, disclosure of victim identity and even causing hurt by use of acid, etc.

It suggests removing sections 65(1), 65(2), and 70(2) of the Act, which deal with punishments for rape offenders who are under 16, 12, and 18 years old, respectively.

After passing the bill, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of all states that have "not been able to implement effective legislations to safeguard women".

This anti-rape bill comes after a series of protests in the state demanding justice for the brutal rape and murder of 31-year-old trainee doctor in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Only one person have been arrested in the rape case investigation, while the then principal of the medical college Sandip Ghosh was arrested on September 2 along with three others in a separate case related to financial irregularities going on in the hospital before Ghosh resigned last month.