Maharashtra panel backs longer jail terms, higher penalties in Shakti bill

The revised version of the Shakti bill is expected to be placed before the Maharashtra legislature soon for approval.

Maharashtra legislature’s joint select committee (JSC) on a proposed law to prevent atrocities against women has recommended more stringent punishments than at present.

Maharashtra government's Shakti bill proposes to increase imprisonment for acid attack perpetrators from the current 10 years to life to a minimum of 15 years extendable to life

For instance, under section 326A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Shakti bill proposes to increase imprisonment for acid attack perpetrators from the current 10 years to life to a minimum of 15 years extendable to life along with a fine paid to the survivor.

“The expenditure of plastic surgery and face reconstruction operations for the victim will be taken care of from the penalty to be charged from the accused,” state home minister Dilip Walse Patil said in the legislative assembly on Wednesday while tabling the changes recommended by the 21-member committee.

The revised version of the Shakti bill is expected to be placed before the state legislature soon for approval.

The state government had placed Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2020, and Maharashtra Exclusive Special Court (for certain offences against Women and Children under Shakti Law) in the state legislature in December 2020. It was then sent to the JSC for deliberations.

The committee also recommended an increase in punishment under section 175A of the IPC for failure to share data or electronic record for the purpose of investigation by social media platforms, internet service providers to three months from one month and a fine up to ₹25 lakh from the ₹5 lakh proposed in the previous draft.

The committee recommended increasing the punishment for false complaints.