All-party meet likely before budget session

The government is likely to call an all-party meeting before the budget session of parliament beginning February 21 to discuss the recommendations of Justice Verma panel on making anti-rape laws stronger. Nagendar Sharma reports.

The government is likely to call an all-party meeting before the budget session of parliament beginning February 21 to discuss the recommendations of Justice Verma panel on making anti-rape laws stronger.

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A bill to amend criminal laws dealing with sexual offences against women based on those recommendations of the panel which the government finds acceptable, could be brought during the session.

But this will happen only after the government and opposition parties arrive at a consensus on the report.

The government has already begun work on analysing the panel report, submitted to it last week. Various ministries concerned with the report's implementation have initiated inter-ministerial consultations.

Once this process is completed, the panel report will be deliberated by the cabinet to firm up the government's view to be placed at the all-party meeting.

The ruling alliance is trying to strike a balance between the popular demand of sweeping systemic changes following the December 16 gangrape of a student in the capital and what it deems as 'practically possible'.