:dateline:On December 14, the Andhra Pradesh state assembly passed a bill named “Disha Bill-2019” to make an amendment to the “Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law” so that the rapists could be addressed death sentence within 21 days of the crime. These courts will also take up cases of acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism, sexual harassment, and cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act beside the cases of rape and gang rape.
It is learnt that this bill also holds provision to address sentence upto 2 years if the guilty harasses women over email, social media or any other digital mode, but if the guilty continues to harass women even after getting punished, the second and subsequent conviction can lead to imprisonment up to 4 years.
The AP Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019 or Andhra Pradesh Disha Act seeks to amend the Code of Criminal Procedure for ‘heinous offences of rape’ so that in the presence of ‘adequate conclusive evidence’, the investigation is completed within seven working days. The new law also says trial must be completed within 14 working days, thus reducing the total judgment time to 21 working days.
The cabinet also approved the Andhra Pradesh Special Court for Specified Offences Against Women and Children Act, 2019. It allows the establishment of exclusive special courts in each district, which will exclusively deal with crimes against women and children.
In cases of child sexual abuse, the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approved the decision to increase terms of imprisonment under POCSO Act (3 years minimum, 5 years maximum) to 5 years minimum and 7 years maximum.
The move comes shortly after the heinous incident of rape and murder of a 26 year old veterinary doctor by four youths in Hyderabad who have been killed in an “encounter” by the Police.
