In a significant move to combat sexual crimes, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed two key Bills on January 10, aiming to enhance penalties and address digital harassment against women and children.
According to the DMK-led government, the Bills aim to strengthen penalties for sexual offenses against women and children and take legal action against individuals engaging in harassment through digital, social, and electronic platforms.
One Bill seeks to strengthen the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998, while the other proposes to amend the applicability of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in Tamil Nadu.
The objective of the Criminal Laws Bill is to increase the minimum punishment for rape from 10 years to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment. For rapists who are members of the police force, the proposed minimum punishment is doubled to 20 years. In cases where the victim is a girl under the age of 12, the Bill prescribes a life term as the minimum sentence and the death penalty as the maximum.
With reports of sexual violence rising across the country, the amendments aim to close gaps in the existing legal framework. They also address the growing concern of harassment on digital platforms, recognizing that abuse and exploitation are increasingly taking new forms in the digital age.
By targeting crimes committed by police personnel with harsher penalties, the legislation seeks to restore public trust in law enforcement. It also serves as a deterrent, ensuring that those in positions of power do not misuse their authority.
“I have introduced a Bill in the Assembly to amend criminal laws to impose harsher punishments for crimes against women!” Chief Minister M.K. Stalin posted on his X account.
“Sexual assault against women is an unforgivable crime. The punishment for such crimes must serve as a huge warning to prevent people from committing them,” Stalin said in the Assembly, adding that his government believes the punishment in such cases “must be made more stringent.”
“The DMK government has been working for the welfare of women, bringing them forward in society, politics, and the economy. The social participation of women has increased because of these steps,” he said.
“We are tackling crimes against women with an iron fist,” he told the Assembly.
These amendment Bills come at a time when the government faced criticism following the sexual assault at Anna University. A 19-year-old student was allegedly sexually assaulted at Chennai’s Anna University last December by an outsider who trespassed onto the campus.
