Historic Move By Jagan Mohan Reddy's Government,  Disha Bill To Convict Rapists Within 21 Days Passed!

Good News! The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed the Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill 2019 to award death sentences to convicts in rape cases within 21 days.

The Bill has been drafted for women`s safety; it was earlier approved by the state cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. This historic move has been taken days after the horrifying gang-rape and murder of a woman veterinarian in Hyderabad.   

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet cleared the A.P. Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (aka A.P. Disha Bill, 2019) on December 11 which gave the verdict and trial for rape and gang-rape cases in 21 days, allowing to award death penalty for such offences.  

The police had named the victim as Disha to protect her identity. Meanwhile, the cabinet also accepted to introduce A.P. Special Court for Specified Offences against Women and Children Bill, 2019. It will primarily deal with offences against women and children like rape, gang-rape, acid attack, stalking, voyeurism, sexual harassment and cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, reports The Hindu.

The government also plans to amend IPC Section 354 and bring Section 354 (e) to make it a crime to insult the opposite sex on social media. If amended, it would mean 2 years jail to the convict.

Repeating the offense would make it 4 years, reports The New Indian Express. 

Section 354 (f) increases the sentence for molestation and sexual assault to a minimum of 5 years and maximum of 7 years. This bill makes sure that when provided with adequate evidence, the investigation and trial will complete in 7 and 14 working days, respectively. 

Earlier the total judgement time was 4 months and now it has been reduced to 21 days, said The Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed Andhra Pradesh Disha Bill 2019 (Andhra Pradesh Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2019). The bill provides for awarding death sentence for offences of rape and gang rape and expediting verdict in trials of such cases within 21 days. pic.twitter.com/VZ6JCVo236

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2019

AP Disha Bill has been passed in assembly today... His Dedication and Hardworking in passing the bills towards society and for woman is superb...🙏👌...Proud to be a fan of Jagan Anna... 😍❤️#APDishaBill #CMJagan pic.twitter.com/2JR3tXWcy7

— @It's Raj_Annasagaram (@rajamouli_22) December 13, 2019