The centre today signed off on an ordinance, or emergency executive order, to introduce capital punishment for child rapists, a move that is seen as an effort to signal the government's commitment to fight sexual crimes against young girls.
At Saturday's meeting, the proposal was formally moved by the Home Ministry.This wasn't the first time that such a recommendation had been made.
It had been shot down every time in the past.When experts tasked to overhaul rape laws had looked into this demand following the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in the national capital, they had noted that capital punishment for rape "may not have a deterrent effect".PM Modi's government was the last one to spike the suggestion in January.
Existing provisions stipulate a minimum jail term of seven years for a minor's rape.
The maximum punishment is a jail term for the remainder of the convict's life.It is not clear how a harsher punishment would be deterrent when only 3 out of 10 men charged with raping minors are convicted.
The remaining 70 per cent people walk free.
This meant that 5,700 people accused of raping minors were acquitted while only 2,241 were convicted in 2015. »
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