the story So Far: The monsoon session for assemblies across India will soon be closed, a group of new bills will bring and revive many long -pending people. Many such bills are punished in these assemblies for more stringent lies for rape, yet to be implemented as a law. In view of terrible rape cases such as Gory incidents in Unnao, Kathua, Nirbhaya and others, state assemblies often introduced, debated and sometimes passed the ‘anti-rape’ bill. However, rarely these laws obtained the President’s consent or left behind the investigation of the courts.
“Increased rate of crime against women is an area of concern for law-makers and it indicates an emerging need to study deeply, the root of the problem and the same measures through a strict law and order regime. There are many laws and several punishment provisions to punish criminals of violence against women. However, it is important to ensure that gender justice is not.” Justice Bhanumati In 2017, in his decision, keeping the death sentence for the culprits of rape. However, the apex court warning has not been disturbed.
Over the years, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal have passed bills that give strict punishment in rape cases. There is a look at his ongoing journey to enact these bills and laws here.
2013: Central Law
In December 2012, in view of the collective of 22-year medical intern, nationwide protests spread to the Parliament, passed to pass Parliament Criminal law (amendment) bill2013 in March that year. The amended bill amended various sections of safety of children from the Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Indian Evidence Act and Sexual Offenses Act, which led to more punishment for sexual offenses.
Nirbaya’s father and mother, during protest against ‘Neerbhaya’ and against the release of a teenage rapist at India Gate on Sunday, December 20, 2015, in New Delhi. Photo Credit: Shankar Chakraborty
The Bill convicted the rape convict for less than 20 years for rigorous imprisonment, which could extend to life. For repeated criminals, the bill kills convicts to death. If the second time is repeated, stacking and viorism were defined as non-bailable offenses, while the culprits of the acid attack can now be sentenced to up to 10 years. Within a fortnight, the President gave his consent to the bill, making it a law.
2017-2018: Bill in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Arunachal and Center
After the growing rape cases and a quick passage of the above Act, many states passed their own amendments to the Indian Penal Code, giving more rigorous punishment for rape cases.
In December 2017, Madhya Pradesh was the first To pass a bill to amend the Criminal Law Act, 2013, people found to be convicted of death sentence and convicted of raping girls aged 12 and below. In March 2018, bills were passed by Rajasthan, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh with this provision.
Given the need for strict law to protect minors, Parliament passed Criminal Law (Amendment), 2018 In August that year. Bill extended the minimum punishment for rape to seven to ten years imprisonment and awarded the minimum imprisonment of twenty years for life or death, in cases where the rape victim was under the age of twelve years. It also punished people guilty of raping girls under 16 years of age with imprisonment for twenty years or life. However, the sentence of boys rape is unchanged. Rejecting the need for the above mentioned state-specific laws, the bill indicated the President within a week.
2019: Bill in Andhra Pradesh
On November 27, 2019, after anger at the rape of a 26 -year -old veterinarian, Andhra Pradesh assembly Two bills were passed – AP Special Courts for crimes specified against Women and Children Act 2019 within a fortnight, and AP direction act – Criminal Law (AP Amendment) Act 2019.
Both these bills formed unique special courts in every district for early testing of crimes specified against women and children and conferred those who were convicted for sexual harassment on children (i) life imprisonment, (ii) Defected for killing a woman and punishment. It also set a 14-day time limit for filing the charge sheet and reduced the time of disposal to the appeal against such sentences by three months.
AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the state’s first direction police station on Saturday, 8 February, 2020 in Rajamhenduram. Photo Credit: S. Rambabu
The Bill was unanimously passed on 13 December 2019 and the then CM Jagan Mohan Reddy appreciated the Telangana Police for the closure of all the four accused a week before the passing of the bill. The Supreme Court appointed by the Supreme Court concluded that the encounter was staged, recommending that all 10 police officers be booked for murder.
Despite the constant advocacy by Mr. Reddy, both the bills wait for the President’s assurance. With the validity of the bills under consideration, N. Chandrababu Naidu -led current state government has launched ‘Shakti App’ – A Safety App For women in crisis to reach emergency services.
2021: Bill in Maharashtra
In 2021, during a gang-balid of a 15-year-old girl by at least 33 men over a period of nine months, in a period of nine months, Maharashtra Assembly Power passed the Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Bill presented the death penalty for those guilty for rape, collective and acid attacks, causing serious damage. It also determines a 30-day time limit for each-(i) completion of investigation, (ii) charge sheet and (iii) after filing charge sheet after day-to-day testing and disposal of appeal against (IV) verdict. The bill also punished false complaints, intimidation and defamation of women.
After a change in power from Eknath Shinde from Uddhav Thackeray, the bill was sent to the President, and returned with questions that show that many decisions of the Supreme Court were abolished by the bill. In 2023, Parliament passed three amended criminal laws-India Justice (BNS), Indian Citizen Security Sanhita (BNSS) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Process (CRPC) and Replace Indian Evidence.
After his passage, the Center has asked the present government, which has been chaired by Devendra Fadnavis, whether the bill is required. Mr. Fadnavis has said that his cabinet will review the bill, amend and make it again if necessary.
2023: Central Law
In place of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of the British-era, Indian Nay Code, 2023 Was passed by Parliament, significant changes for punishment for sexual offenses and to make the law more gender-plate. Instead of ‘minor girl’ with ‘children’, BNS purchases people under 18 for a punishable offense for sexual abuse. It classifies rape depending on the age of the victim (whether it is less than 18, 16 or 12), and introduces provisions that fulfill different Senatens for the culprits in each category. Rape of a minor girl by one or a group is punishable by life imprisonment or death.
Under BNS, having sexual intercourse or false promises with a woman by fraudulent means is a 10 -year jail sentence. While rape is sentenced to ten years, increased forms of rape will be punished by 10 years or life imprisonment.
The Act does not criminalize marital rape nor is it included in its original definition of men. Sexual offenses against men and transgender people can be added later, union officials said.
The bill, along with the other two criminal laws, was signed in the law by President Murmu and is effective from July 1, 2024.
2024: Bill in West Bengal
A month later a 31 -year -old doctor was raped and murdered inside Kolkata’s RG Car Medical College and HospitalThe West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed the Aparajita Women and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Law and Amendment) in 2024 in September last year. While amending three central acts (Indian Nai Code 2023, Indian Municipal Surta, 2023, and POCSO Act 2012) for West Bengal, the bill gave criminals convicted for rape to those who were convicted for rape, who either occurred as a result of the death of Vim or was released into a vegetative state; And punishment of life without parole for other criminals.
The art, which portrays ‘stop rape’, is depicted on the road during protests by junior doctors in RG Car Medical College and Hospital’s rape-killing case, on Thursday, August 29, 2024 in Kolkata, Kolkata in Kolkata Medical College and Hospital. Photo Credit: Annie
Similar to his sister legislative legislation in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, the Bill demanded an expediting of the investigation by starting a 21 -day limit from the reporting of crime, provided for the establishment of special courts to listen to such cases provided that the convict was fined and who would be “fair and appropriate” to meet medical expenses. The bill has been sent to President Draupadi Murmu for his consent. A delegation of TMC MPs, including Derek O’Brien, Sudeep Bandyopadhyay, Protima Mondal, Dola Sen, Mahua Motra and Sagarika Ghosh, met the President in February, urged them to sign the bill.
2025: Bill in Tamil Nadu
In January, Tamil Nadu Assembly passed Criminal Law (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Bill, 2025 Who proposed a minimum of 14 -year rigorous imprisonment for the guilty of rape. If the accused is a member of the police force, he wants to double the rigorous imprisonment from the minimum for 20 years. It also rewards life period as a minimum punishment and death penalty as a rape victim is a girl under 12 years of age.
Published – June 19, 2025 02:52 pm IST
