After Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan has become the second state in the country to pass a bill to award death penalty to convicts found guilty of raping girls below 12 years of age.

Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said that they have made two amendments in cases of rape against girls below 12 years of age. They have added life sentence & life imprisonment for convicts in offences against girls below 12 years of age, also made a provision that convict can’t leave the prison for life even after completing 14 years of sentence

This amendment was brought into force as it was brought to the notice of State Government that offences related to child rape and child gang rape had increased. These offences are heinous and turn victim’s life into a hell.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2018, was tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday and cleared today (Friday). The bill seeks to add section 376-AA in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which also limits sets the minimum punishment for raping girls below 12 years of age as 14 years. A similar section, under section 376-DD, has been added for gang-rape.