The “Disha Bill” was passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on December 13, 2019.
Amaravati:
The Andhra Pradesh government has asked the Center why the state cannot name a law after the Hyderabad gang rape and murder victim Disha, while a similar law has since been named after Nirbhaya, who There is another victim of gang rape and murder in New. Delhi.
Recently, the state government sent its comments on the objections raised by the Center several months back on the proposed ‘Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill – Criminal Law (AP Amendment) Bill, 2019’, which was passed by the state legislature in December 2019.
The Union Home Ministry had last year sought clarification from the state on the comments made by the Women’s Safety Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs on the Bill.
The State Government argued that the Code of Criminal Procedure was part of the Concurrent List and, therefore, it was empowered to make necessary amendments.
“Kerala and other state governments have done this,” the AP reported. “We have sent our clarification to the Center 20 days ago,” Deputy Inspector General of Police G Pala Raju said at a press conference here on Thursday evening on behalf of Home Minister T Vanitha.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly had on December 13, 2019 passed the so-called “Disha Bill”, seeking further amendments to the Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which specifically seeks speedy investigation of crimes against women and children. and will enable testing. sex offences, and promulgation of the death penalty.
Along with this, the state also passed the AP Disha (Special Court for Specified Offenses Against Women and Children) Bill, 2019.
The state governor sent the bills to the Center for the assent of the President in January 2020.
Following objections raised by the Centre, the state withdrew the AP Disha (Special Court for Specified Offenses Against Women and Children) Bill and passed a similar bill with amendments in December 2020.
The Center again objected to certain provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill – Criminal Law (AP Amendment) Bill, 2019.
Asked about the Centre’s objections, Pala Raju replied, “The Center objected to the provision of geo-tagging of sex offenders. It also objected to giving a specific name to the proposed law.”
He said the Center has also objected to the use of certain words in the Bill. “We have sent the Bill with the amended portion to the Center 20 days ago,” he said.
State Home Minister Vanitha said the proposed Disha Act aims to ensure speedy justice in cases of sexual offenses against women and girls.
Vanitha said, “The new law is only to give harsh punishment to the offenders in quick time so that it acts as a deterrent to others.”
Director General of Police KV Rajendranath Reddy, who was present at the press conference, said though the new law is yet to come into force, they are working in their spirit to ensure speedy justice.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)