Vikrant Shekhawat : Sep 03, 2024, 02:04 PM
West Bengal Assembly: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday introduced the 'Aparajita Mahila and Bal Bill (West Bengal Criminal Law and Amendment) Bill 2024' in the Assembly. The bill proposes death penalty to the culprits in case the rape victim dies or goes unconscious. Apart from this, there is also a provision to punish the convicts of rape and gang rape with life imprisonment.Key points of the billThis bill will apply to victims of all ages and it proposes to reduce the time limit for rape-related investigation from two months to 21 days. There is also a plan to pronounce the verdict within a month of preparation of the charge sheet. The bill also provides for three to five years imprisonment for publishing information about court proceedings or revealing the identity of the victim.Support and opposition of the billEven though the BJP has supported this bill, legal experts and opposition parties are against it. They say that there are already strict laws at the national level for such cases and the President's approval will be required to change the state laws.Historic significance of the billMamata Banerjee termed the bill as historic and said that it will strengthen the safety of women and children. The move has been taken in protest against the recent tragic incident in which a female doctor was raped and murdered.The bill will now be discussed in the Assembly and if passed, it will be a significant legal change against sexual crimes in West Bengal.