Topics Covered:Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
What to study?
For Prelims: Key features of the bill.
For Mains: Significance and the need for the law, issues surrounding death sentence.
Context: The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed the Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill, 2019 (Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019).
Disha is the name given to a veterinarian who was raped and murdered in Hyderabad on November 27.
Key features of the Bill:
- It envisages the completion of investigation in seven days and trial in 14 working days, where there is adequate conclusive evidence, and reducing the total judgment time to 21 days from the existing four months.
- It prescribes life imprisonment for other sexual offences against children and includes Section 354 F and 354 G in IPC.
- In cases of harassment of women through social or digital media, the Act states two years imprisonment for the first conviction and four years for second and subsequent convictions. For this, a new Section 354 E will be added in IPC, 1860.
- As per the Bill, the Andhra Pradesh government will establish, operate and maintain a register in electronic form, to be called the ‘Women & Children Offenders Registry’. This registry will be made public and will be available to law enforcement agencies.
- The government will establish exclusive special courts in each district to ensure speedy trial. These courts will exclusively deal with cases of offences against women and children including rape, acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism, social media harassment of women, sexual harassment and all cases under the POCSO Act.
- The government will constitute special police teams at the district level to be called District Special Police Team to be headed by DSP for investigation of offences related to women and children.
- The government will also appoint a special public prosecutor for each exclusive special court.
Sources: the Hindu.
Mada zilizofunikwa: Katiba ya India - misingi ya kihistoria, mageuzi, sifa, marekebisho, masharti muhimu na muundo wa msingi. Kujifunza Nini? Prelims: Vipengele muhimu vya muswada. Kwa Mains: Umuhimu na uhitaji wa sheria, masuala yanayohusu hukumu ya kifo. Bunge la Andhra Pradesh limepitisha sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria ya sheria. Disha ni jina la daktari wa mifugo aliyedhulumiwa na kuuawa huko Hyderabad Novemba 27. """Hatua hii inatarajia kukamilisha uchunguzi katika siku saba na kesi katika siku 14 za kazi, ambapo kuna ushahidi wa kutosha wa kuaminika, na kupunguza muda wa hukumu hadi siku 21 kutoka miezi minne ya sasa." Sheria hiyo inatoa adhabu ya kifungo cha maisha kwa makosa mengine ya kingono dhidi ya watoto na inajumuisha kifungu cha 354 F na 354 G katika IPC. Katika kesi za unyanyasaji wa wanawake kupitia media ya kijamii au dijiti, Sheria inataja kifungo cha miaka miwili kwa hatia ya kwanza na miaka minne kwa hatia ya pili na ya baadaye. Kwa hivyo, kifungu kipya cha 354E kimeongezwa katika IPC 1860. - Kulingana na Muswada huo, serikali ya Andhra Pradesh itaanzisha, kuendesha na kudumisha rekodi katika fomu ya elektroniki, inayoitwa "Wanawake na Watoto Wauaji Registry". Usajili huu utafanywa hadharani na utapatikana kwa mashirika ya utekelezaji wa sheria. - Serikali itaanzisha mahakama maalum katika kila wilaya ili kuhakikisha kesi ya haraka. Mahakama hizo zitashughulikia tu kesi za uhalifu dhidi ya wanawake na watoto ikiwa ni pamoja na ubakaji, mashambulizi ya asidi, kufuatilia, ujanja, unyanyasaji wa wanawake kwenye mitandao ya kijamii, unyanyasaji wa kingono na kesi zote chini ya Sheria ya POCSO. Serikali itaunda timu maalum za polisi katika ngazi ya wilaya, zinazoitwa Timu maalum ya Polisi ya Wilaya, zinazoongozwa na DSP, kwa uchunguzi wa uhalifu unaohusiana na wanawake na watoto. - Serikali pia itachagua mwendesha mashtaka maalum wa umma kwa kila mahakama maalum ya kipekee. Vyanzo: Kihindu.