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| Ordinance on rape laws cleared; death sentence in extreme cases | | | agencies
NEW DELHI, Feb 1: The Union Cabinet today approved and cleared an ordinance providing for death sentence to the rapists in the event of death of the victim, sources said.
The Cabinet considered former Chief Justice of India Verma Committee report on making laws against sexual crime more stringent, and accepted most of its recommendations.
Although Justice Verma had not recommended capital punishment for rape, the Cabinet went a step further to provide for the extreme punishment in rarest of rare cases.
The Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been specially convened for the purpose. Dr Singh had written a letter to Justice Verma two days ago assuring that the Government would take prompt action in pursuing his recommendations. The Committee had submitted its report on January 23.
The three-member panel headed by Justice Verma with Justice (Rtd)
Leila Seth and former Solicitor General of India had been constituted in the wake of the nationwide outcry against the gangrape of a 23-year-old paramedic in the capital on December 16, and later her death.
The main recommendations of the committee included increasing the punishment up to 20 years of imprisonment for rape and murder and life term for gang rape. It, however, did not go for death penalty as demanded by various bodies and political parties.
The Committee had suggested a number of amendments to the criminal law for providing higher punishment for the guilty of rape, including police and public servants.
The new offences like disrobing a woman, voyeurism, stalking and trafficking have been included in the sexual crimes.
At present, rape laws provide for seven years to life imprisonment for rape.
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