President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, that provides for stringent punishment, including death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.
The amendment replaces the criminal law amendment ordinance promulgated on 21st April after the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and another woman in Unnao. A gazette notification said, the Act shall be deemed to have come into force on the 21st April, 2018.
The Act will further amend the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The President’s assent came after Parliament approved the amendments to the law last week.
