Mehbooba Govt okays Ordinance awarding death for children's rapists

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), Apr 24 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan on Tuesday informed that an amendment has been brought to Criminal Law Ordinance 2018.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for rest of life, which shall mean imprisonment till that person's natural life.

"We had a meeting with heads of many institutions and we have come to the conclusion that coaching centres are a distraction", Bukhari told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. The financial implications for the implementations of 7th pay commission recommendations would be Rs 4201 crore annually while financial implications on account of one-time arrears would be Rs 7477 crores.

Meanwhile, Chief judicial magistrate Kathua rejected the bail application of the juvenile accused in the rape and murder case of the tribal girl.

Moreover, the ordinance also includes that the investigations in rape and sexual assault case are to be conducted by women police officers.

The Jammu and Kashmir government today passed an ordinance to allow death penalty for rapists of girls below 12 years.

According to the ordinance, he said, the investigation in such cases is to be completed within a period of two months, whereas trial is to be completed within six months and reasons for any delay be communicated to the high court.

"We have already prepared a draft ordinance to award death penalty to child rapists".

Amid nationwide outrage over sexual violence against young girls, the Cabinet has chose to bring the death penalty for raping a minor.

There will be dedicated manpower for investigation of rape cases in a time-bound manner.

"Stringent provisions for bail have been incorporated in the ordinance".

He said child-friendly provisions had been brought through the second ordinance so that the victims are not harassed.

This step has been taken in view of the Kathua rape and murder case by the Mehbooba Mufti government in J&K, he said.

The body of the girl, from a minority community, was recovered from a forest in Kathua on 17 January, a week after she went missing.