New Delhi: The government is set to table the anti-rape ordinance in Parliament on Friday. However, there's still no consensus among political parties. The Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) feel that some sections of the ordinance, such as stalking and voyeurism, can be misused. The government is keen to pass the bill this session.
The ordinance was laid on the table in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
The ordinance, based on the recommendations of the Justice JS Verma Committee and going beyond, proposes to provide death penalty in cases of rape that leads to death of the victim or leaving her in a vegetative state. It also seeks to replace the word 'rape' with 'sexual assault' to expand the definition of all types sexual crimes against women.
The ordinance also proposed enhanced punishment for other crimes against women like stalking, voyeurism, acid attacks, indecent gestures like words and inappropriate touch and brings into its ambit 'marital rape'. The Union Cabinet, at a specially-convened meeting in the first week of this month, went beyond the Verma Committee's recommendation by providing for capital punishment in the cases where rape leads to death of the victim or leaves her in "persistent vegetative state".
The ordinance also said that if a person facing acid attack kills the accused in the process of self-defence, then she will be protected under the 'right to self defence'.
Besides this, Shukla also laid on the table of the House, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 promulgated by the President on January 21 and the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Ordinance, 2013 promulgated by the President on January 30.
With additional information from PTI
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