As the government prepares to bring stringent laws for rape and sexual assault offences, in a first of its kind meet, the Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth on Wednesday has called a meeting of committee of secretaries (CoS) on the growing ‘’sexual crimes against women’’ and review the steps taken by the government after the brutal December 16 gangrape incident in the national capital.
The Prime Minister’s office has received several suggestions from the general public, NGOs, institutions and central ministries which will be placed before the CoS for its view. Secretaries of a dozen ministries will attend the meet which will delve into concerns of increasing rape cases, delay in police response and trial, low conviction rates and come up with strategies. The commissioner of police Neeraj Kumar, director of intelligence bureau Asif Ibrahim and secretaries of home, legal affairs, raliways, women and child development, human resource development, Planning Commission, telecom, information technology will attend the meet. The CoS meet comes at a time when the Justice Verma Panel is all set to submit its final report to the government.
Sources said the panel is expected to suggest time bound trial in all cases of violence against women, enhanced punishment for brutal rape cases like gangrape, making stalking a punishable offence under Indian Penal Code and suggesting harsher punishment for juveniles accused of rape. Changes to section 354 which defines ‘’outraging modesty of a woman’’ are proposed to increase quantum of punishment. There is also a move to give more teeth to IPC section 509 which presently covers offences of eve-teasing and stalking without defining them. The CoS , will also be apprised of the steps taken by the MHA and Delhi police including the inquiries constituted by it to look at the lapses and fix responsibility.
The CoS will discuss strategies to crack down on violence against women and instil a sense of security by bringing higher penalties, high visibility of deterrent punishment, increasing conviction rates, monitoring and implementation of laws for women, gender sensitisation, use of technology and setting up protocols for police and legal aid agencies. The CoS will give its views on the issued flagged at the meet.