The Central government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it is proposing the death penalty for those convicted of raping children below the age of 12.
The proposal has come in the backdrop of nationwide outrage over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, and sexual assault of a teenager in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Deepak Misra was told by the Ministry of Women and Child Development that it is "proposing" to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for introducing "death penalty" to the convicts of child rape.
The letter written to Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P.S. Narasimha by Women and Child Development Ministry Deputy Secretary Anand Prakash, said the government is "sensitive to the plight of young children" brutally abused in the most horrific manner
"The issue raised in the petition regarding the amendment of the provisions of the POCSO Act, 2012, so as to proving maximum punishment of 'death penalty' for commission of offences of rape of children of 0-12 years of age group is under active consideration of the Ministry.
"The Ministry is sensitive to the plight of young children brutally abused in the most horrific manner. The Ministry is proposing to amend POCSO Act, 2012, for introducing 'death penalty' for the abuser in the cases of aggravated sexual assault against children," the Ministry said in a letter to the apex court.
The court posted the matter for hearing on April 27.
POCSO Act was formulated in order to effectively address sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
The Centre, on February 1, 2018, told the court death penalty was not the answer for every child sex abuse case and that graded penalties for graded offences have been provided under the POCSO Act, 2012.
On Friday the Centre's response came on a PIL filed by an advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava demanding death penalty for those raping children.
The advocate has referred to recent law passed by Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan providing death penalty to the convicts if the rape victim is up to the age of 12 years.
Festival of democracy enters second leg with 88 Lok Sabha seats across India set to vote
While 89 constituencies were slated to go to polls in the second phase, as per the initial announcement by the Election Commission, voting in Madhya Pradesh's Betul was advanced to the third phase on May 7 following the death of the BSP candidate in the fray.
Tripura BJP issues show-cause notice to party leader for slamming TMP chief Pradyot Debbarma
A day before the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, the ruling BJP in Tripura on Thursday served a show cause-notice to one of the party’s Vice-Presidents, Patal Kanya Jamatia, who accused Tipra Motha Party (TMP) chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma of “spreading hatred” among tribals and non-tribals in the state.
PM Modi ups ante against Congress, says Rajiv Gandhi abolished inheritance law to 'save own interests'
Upping the ante against the Congress on the 'inheritance tax' issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched another scathing attack on the grand old party, saying it was former PM Rajiv Gandhi who abolished the inheritance law "to save their own interests" after the demise of his mother Indira Gandhi.
Multi-cornered contest in Tripura East LS seat going to polls on Friday
A multi-cornered contest will be witnessed in the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat, which goes to the polls in the second phase of the 7-phase parliamentary elections on Friday.
Credit card data of 17K ICICI Bank users exposed; bank blocks cards, assures compensation
After credit card data of at least 17,000 new ICICI Bank customers was exposed and reached "wrong users", the bank said on Thursday that it has blocked these cards and is issuing new ones to the customers.
TRIPURA: BSF jawan on election duty dies after rifle accidently goes off
In a tragic incident amid the preparation for the second phase of polling in Tripura, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, who was engaged in election duty died after his rifle went off accidentally.
13.96 lakh voters to cast vote in 1664 Polling stations tomorrow
Although nine candidates are in the fray in the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency, the main battle will be mainly between BJP candidate Kirit Singh Debbarma and CPIM candidate Rajendra Reang.
CM leads campaign with vigor, Completes 30 rallies, 18 road shows covering over 6,000 km
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha vigorously campaigned for BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha elections & Bidhan Sabha by-election, participating in 30 public rallies, 18 road shows, and 7 padyatras.