- The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, provides for stringent punishment, including death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.
- It came into force on 21st April, 2018.
- The Act will further amend the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the POSCO Act, 2012.
- Death sentences have been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years.
- The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.
- In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life.
- The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will invariably be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict.
- Gang rape of a girl under 12 years of age will invite punishment of jail term for the rest of life or death.
- The deadline for the completion of trial in all rape cases will be two months.
- A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed.
- There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years.
Source: The Hindu
