As Center failed to enact the tough anti-rape law to make punishment for crime against women more stringent was on Tuesday referred to an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), reports said.
The decision has made in Union cabinet meeting for further recommendations after lack of unanimity at one point as differences over certain provisions, including the use of the term ‘rape’, voyeurism, and reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16 years.
Top make a Consensus, a review over difference would be made by the GoM including Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal,along with lawyers, sources said.
Opposition including BJP announced to call an all-party meets on March 18 to discuss the anti-rape Bill, while Shinde assured that the anti-rape law will be brought before March 22 in this Budget session after GoM proposes changes to it.
The proposed Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013, will replace the February 3 Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance was promulgated by the President in the wake of public outrage over the December 16 Delhi gang rape. The Ordinance will lapse on April 4, reports added.
However, under the bill, if rape leads to death of the victim or leaves her in a vegetative state, the culprits could face death penalty, while the minimum punishment is 20 years in jail which may extend upto the “natural life” of the convict.
Stalking and voyeurism are described as criminal offences in the Ordinance, following that Law Ministry demanded adequate safeguards against false complaints in the provision including the treatment of victim into any nearby private hospital should be denied after informing police.
