Anti-rape ‘Aparajita’ bill was passed in the West Bengal Assembly.
The proposed bill provides for the death penalty for persons convicted of rape if their acts result in the death or vegetative state of the victim.
Additionally, it provides for life imprisonment without parole for those convicted of rape and gang rape.
The title of this law is ‘Aparajita Women and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Law and Amendment) Bill 2024’.
The law aims to strengthen protection for women and children by amending and introducing new provisions relating to rape and sexual offences.
Under the bill, an Aparajita Task Force will be formed, in which punishment will be given within 21 days of the preliminary report.
Routes on which nurses and female doctors travel will be covered. For this, the state’s govt has sanctioned Rs 120 crores.
A two-day special session of the Assembly has been called on September 2, 2024, in the wake of the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in August.
The bill was introduced by state Law Minister Malay Ghatak.
