Govt will take HC directives seriously, says Chavan

The state government said it was positive on making changes as suggested by the Bombay high court.

The state government said it was positive on making changes as suggested by the Bombay high court.

HT Image

Reacting to the high court’s remarks that the government should not wait for Parliament and enact its own anti-rape law, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Friday said the state would raise the issue with the Centre.

“We will study what the high court said and take appropriate action. We are very serious on issues related to women’s safety,” Chavan told Hindustan Times.

Satej Patil, minister of state for home, said, "We will consider acting upon the high court’s directions once we receive them.”

The state government has sent a proposal to the Centre, which calls for amending sections 509 and 354 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973.

The sections are related to molestation and sexual harassment. The government wants to make them non-bailable offences apart from increasing imprisonment terms.

The changes are being done on basis of the recommendations put forth in a report tabled by justice CS Dharmadhikari.

If this gets cleared, acts under the section, which include a suggestive gesture, or using obscene language, might mean the accused may have spend three years in jail. Further, it will be a non-bailable offence.