Our Correspondent / New Delhi
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval for ordinance to execute (Death penalty) those who commit rape on girl below age of 12 years, according to sources.
Official sources said that the criminal law amendment ordinance seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes with punishment of death.
Decision came following nationwide uproar over the rape of two minors in Kathua and Unnao.
One more decisive step by @narendramodi Govt to make our country safe for women & children. A huge deterrent for crimes in future
Death penalty approved by cabinet for rapists assaulting girls below 12 yrs & stringent punishment for rapists of young girls below 16 yrs.
— Ananthkumar (@AnanthKumar_BJP) April 21, 2018
Earlier Law Ministry have approved a proposal received from the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and a final decision on whether to bring it in the form of an Ordinance will be taken at the Cabinet meeting.
Last week, WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had said that her Ministry will amend the POSCO Act to ensure death penalty for sexual assaults on children up to 12 years. Subsequently, a draft Cabinet note was prepared and sent to the Law Ministry.