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Bill for speedy trial gets Andhra cabinet’s nod
The bill, Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019, also named Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, will be introduced in the state assembly on Thursday.
The Andhra Pradesh state cabinet on Wednesday approved a bill seeking to complete the investigation and pronouncement of judgment in rape cases within 21 working days from the report of the offence.
The bill, Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019, also named Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, will be introduced in the state assembly on Thursday. It stipulates that the police should complete the investigation within a week after receiving the complaint. They should also complete the forensic and DNA profiling wherever required.
The trial in court should be completed in two weeks and the judgment should be delivered in three weeks when there is conclusive evidence. Earlier, the time for judgments was four months, a government communication said.
The cabinet also passed another bill – Andhra Pradesh Special Court for Specified Offences against Women and Children Bill 2019, aimed at setting up special courts to try cases against women and children.
Rape, gang rape, acid attacks, harassment, sexual assaults, harassment to and outraging the modesty of women in social media and sexual offences on children will come under the purview of these special courts.
Cases related to harassment in social media will be tried under Indian Penal Code section 354E. First-time offenders (harassment in social media) will get two-year jail term and it will be four years for repeat offenders, the bill said.
Those committing sexual offences on children will get up to 14 years’ jail term after the case is tried under IPC section 354 F. If the offences are grave in nature, the culprits would get life term. Presently, these offences are tried under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and the offenders are liable for jail term between three and five years.
