The West Bengal Assembly has unanimously passed the anti-rape bill the Mamata Banerjee government. The ‘Vulnerable Women and Child Rights (West Bengal Criminal Law Amendment) Act 2024’ was introduced. It was introduced in the special session of the Rajya Sabha. It was introduced by TMC leader and state Law Minister Moloy Ghatak. To pass this bill, the Mamata Banerjee-led government had called a special session. In which there is a provision to give the death penalty to those guilty of rape if their actions result in the victim dying or becoming unconscious.
The bill has been brought after the rape and murder. When a postgraduate trainee doctor at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The state is committed to upholding the fundamental rights of its citizens, especially women, and children. And also to ensure that perpetrators of rape or other crimes against children are brought to justice with the full force of the law. It should be brought to the dock.
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Provisions Of The Anti Rape Bill:
1. Death penalty: One of the important provisions of the Bill is that Revealing the identity of the victim and punishing them is related to crimes involving the use of acid by criminals.
2. Amendments to BNS, 2023: The bill proposes changes in sections 64, 66, 70(1), 71, 72(1), 73, 124(1), and 124(2), which relate to rape, rape with murder, and gang rape. It deals with disclosure of the identity of the victim and penalties for offenses committed by perpetrators of crimes involving the use of acid.
3. Life imprisonment: The Bill proposes that those found guilty of rape and gang rape will be given life imprisonment, which is defined as imprisonment for the remainder of the life of a person found guilty of the crime. The bill proposes life imprisonment with a fine or the death penalty in serious cases for repeat offenders.
4. Quick Investigation: Bill proposes must complete the initial rape investigation within 21 days. The time limit for investigation under the current law is 2 months.
5. Fast track courts: The Bill proposes to set up special courts and investigation teams. There are cases of rape and sexual crimes against children. So the necessary resources and expertise will be created to deal effectively and timely as per the Bill. Thereby reducing the trauma experienced by victims and their families.
6. Special Task Force: The task force will be headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. and, the bill also proposes to set up Aparajita Task Force at the district level to investigate cases of rape and atrocities against women and children.
