The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on 3 September unanimously passed the ‘Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) 2024,’.
- The bill was introduced in response to the recent tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical Centre and Hospital on August 9.
- The proposed Bill has provisions for capital punishment for those convicted of rape if their actions resulted in the victim’s death or left her in a vegetative state.
- The legislation also requires that investigation into rape cases must be concluded within 21 days of the initial report.
- As per the provisions, women officers will lead the Special Task Force to investigate such incidents.
- The “Aparajita Task Force”, a Special Task Force at the district level, will be constituted to investigate cases of rape or atrocities on women and children. It will be “headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police for the investigation of specified offences.
