The three-member Committee headed by former Chief Justice J S Verma submitted its 630-page report to the government suggesting amendment of criminal laws to provide for higher punishment to rapists, including those belonging to police and public servants.
The Justice Verma Committee today recommended enhancing punishment of upto 20 years imprisonment for rape and murder and life for gangrape but refrained from suggesting death penalty.(The present law provides for punishment for rapists of imprisonment ranging from seven years to life)
The Committe which was constituted in the wake national outrage over the December 16 gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in Delhi in which one of the accused six is said to be a juvenile, however, is of the opinion that the age of the juvenile under the Juvenile Justice Act need not be lowered from the present 18.
Rejects chemical castration of rapists
The Verma Committee rejected the suggestion of chemical castration of rapists as it considered handing down such a punishment would violate human rights and that mutilation of the body is not permitted under the Constitution. "We note that it would be unconstitutional and inconsistent with basic human rights treaties for the state to expose any citizen without their consent to potentially dangerous medical side effects."
Recommendations of the Committee are -
- Whoever commits the offence of rape shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years but may extend to imprisonment for life.
- Punishment for causing death or a persistent vegetative state shall be given rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years but may be for life also, which shall mean the rest of the person's life.
- Gangrape will entail a punishment of not less than 20 years, but which also may extend to life.
- Gangrape followed by death shall be punished with life imprisonment.
- Voyeurism will be punished with up to seven years.
- Stalking or attempts to contact a person repeatedly through any means shall be liable to get a term of up to three years.
- Acid attacks would be punished by up to seven years.
- A separate Bill of Rights for women that entitles a woman a life of dignity and security.
- Review of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
- Trafficking will be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than seven years, but which may also extend to 10 years.
- A separate Bill of Rights for women which will ensure that a woman shall have the right to have complete sexual autonomy including with respect to her relationships.
- A special procedure for protecting persons with disabilities from rape and requisite procedures for access to justice for such persons.
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