Kolkata, Sep 3: The West Bengal Government will on Tuesday move the 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill' on the floor of the Assembly to seek the death penalty for convicts in rape and murder cases or in cases of rape where the victim is left in a vegetative, irrespective of the age of the victim.

The bill, proposed amid the nationwide protests against the rape and murder of a woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month, will be moved by the state Law Minister, Malaya Ghatak, following which there will be a discussion.

According to Trinamool Congress sources, there is a high chance that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be present in the state Assembly on Tuesday and participate in the debate on the bill.

A total of two hours will be allotted for discussions on the proposed bill.

The bill seeking amendments in the relevant provision under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, will be applicable irrespective of the age of the victim.

The said bill also proposes to clarify that the term “Imprisonment For Life” in such cases will not be for some definite years but for the remaining years of the natural life of the convict. There will also be provisions for financial penalties.

The bill also proposes to reduce the time for completion of the rape-related investigation to 21 days from the earlier period of two months, besides promising delivery of judgment within a month from the time of framing the charge sheet in such cases.

The bill also proposes imprisonment for three to five years for printing or publishing any matter related to court proceedings in such cases. Similar imprisonment provisions are there for those disclosing the identity of the victim.

However, legal brains pointed out that mere passing of the bill on the floor of the Assembly will not be enough and since it proposes to amend certain provisions in the Central laws on this count it will need a Presidential assent.

There have been counter-arguments to such a move on the part of the state government with the opposition parties and legal experts saying that there are existing strong provisions in the law nationally for dealing with such cases.

Recently the state administration and police have been under scathing attack from different sections of society over the manner of handling the sensitive matter of the rape and murder of the woman doctor, with many accusing that there had been attempts on the part of the state administration to cover up the secrets behind the tragedy.

--IANS

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