West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak on Tuesday introduced the anti-rape Bill at the state Assembly special session on Tuesday. The Bill -- 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024,' stipulates stringent punishment for crimes against women and children.
Discussion on the Bill is expected to take place for around two hours in which BJP MLAs Sikha Chatterjee and Agnimitra Paul are scheduled to speak beside the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be the speakers for the government.
The proposed legislation seeks capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state. Additionally, it stipulates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape and gang rape.
Titled the 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024,' the legislation aims to strengthen protections for women and children by revising and introducing new provisions related to rape and sexual offences.
A two-day special session of the Assembly has been summoned on Monday in the wake of the rape-murder of a woman medic at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.
The Bill is being tabled following public outrage over the death of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The 31-year-old doctor was allegedly raped and murdered by a civic volunteer at the hospital. CM Mamata Banerjee had said she would have ensured capital punishment for the accused in Kolkata doctor rape and murder case if probe wasn't transferred to CBI.
-with inputs from agencies.
