The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, also known as the Anti-Rape Bill. This legislation mandates enhanced punishment for rape convicts, including the death penalty if the victim dies or is left in a vegetative state.
The Bill was introduced in response to the brutal rape and murder of a resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, on August 9. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government tabled the Bill, which gained unanimous support from the Assembly, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led opposition.
The newly passed Bill aims to ensure stricter penalties for rape and expedite the investigation and trial of heinous crimes against women and children.
It proposes amendments to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), as applicable in West Bengal.
