J&K cabinet nod to ordinance on death penalty for child rapists

The Jammu and Kashmir government has approved an ordinance providing death penalty for the rape of children below 12 years of age. 

The development comes in the wake of outrage over the Kathua rape and murder case. 

The Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018 and the Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Children from Sexual Violence Ordinance, 2018 were cleared by the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu yesterday.

According to the J&K Criminal Law Ordinance, raping children less than 12 years of age has been made punishable with death



sentence. 

If the rape victim is above 12 and below 16 years, the offence has been made punishable with rigorous imprisonment of 20 years and may extend to life sentence.

The other ordinance aims to make the trial victim-friendly. It has added provisions to ensure a time-bound probe and fast-track trial in cases of such crimes. Two months has been set as the time frame for completion of the investigation, and six months for completion of the trial.

Last week, the Central government had brought an ordinance to amend the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.