Death for rape: State to seek Cabinet nod for ordinance

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 21

The state government is bringing an ordinance penalising rape with death, which will be put for approval before the Cabinet in the meeting likely to be held next week.

Jammu and Kashmir has its own Criminal Procedure Code and since Central laws are not directly applicable to the state, the government is now bringing its own ordinance to make rape punishable with death.

“The draft ordinance has already been prepared and would be on the lines of the one approved by the Union Cabinet on Saturday,” Abdul Haq Khan, Law Minister, told The Tribune.

He said once approved, the ordinance would go to the Governor for promulgation.

“Though it would not be similar to the one approved by the Centre, it would be on the similar lines,” he said, adding that in the ordinance, the JK Government has also proposed capital punishment to the accused involved in the rape of children below the age of 12.

As per a 2013 amendment to the J&K Criminal Procedure Code, the trial in the special offences like rape are to be the completed within a stipulated time frame of six months, but the J&K Government has requested the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to set up a fast-track court to complete the trial in the Kathua rape-murder case within 90 days.

CM welcomes Centre’s decision

Jammu: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the decision of the Union Cabinet to award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age. This, she said, would go a long way in curbing harassment against women and children in the country. The Union Cabinet approved an ordinance regarding this on Saturday. The CM  also welcomed other stringent amendments brought under the ordinance to ensure speedy investigation of rape cases and administering deterrent punishments to convicts. She reiterated her resolve that her government intended to bring similar laws in the state to put an end to crimes against women. TNS