The Justice J.S. Verma Committee which set up to recommend Amendments to laws relating to crimes against women, ruled against chemical castration suggestion of rapists.
In a 631-page report on gender justice and amendment of rape laws, the committee rejected the death penalty for the rapists and said not to be even in the rarest of the rare rape cases as it considered handing down such a punishment would violate human rights.
Reports said that the committee suggested that the minimum sentence for a rapist should be enhanced from 7 years to 10 and that life imprisonment must always mean jail for ‘the entire natural life of the convict’.
The committee also suggested not to lowering the age of a juvenile from 18 to 16. It has recommended the high protection of women by raising continuance of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).
Representing report, Mr. Verma said, “According to the Working Group on Human Rights, the murder rate has declined consistently in India over the last 20 years despite the slowdown in the execution of death sentences since 1980. Hence we do take note of the argument that introduction of death penalty for rape may not have a deterrent effect,” source said.
Delhi gangrape and death of the 23 year old young para-medical student had broken a nationwide outcry and that time govt had to favoured death sentence in the rarest of the rare rape cases, but this time the report is totally against it.
Terming Chemical Castration as unconstitutional and inconsistent that broke human rights, committee said, it fails to treat the social foundations of rape which is about power and sexually deviant behavior.
Sources said that, Verma also suggested forming a new constitutional authority like the CAG which will deal issues related to education and crimes against women and children.
Making a red line on CAG politicians, Verma said to make changes in the rape law is to change election process as many candidates with criminal records, including those accused of rape and sexual assaults, get elected. It also said that a certificate from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is to be needed to stay elected, reports said.
