The government on Monday buckled under pressure from the opposition parties and agreed to make 18 years the age of consent for having sex. According to parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath, the bill approved by the cabinet with 16 as age of consensual sex would be presented in parliament on Tuesday, but the government would move suitable amendments to raise the age to 18 years. Nath was briefing the media after several rounds of discussions with the Opposition leaders.
The BJP had reservations against lowering the age of consent, while the Samajwadi Party had expressed concerns that some provisions of the bill could be misused in order to target people.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kamal Nath, said after an all-party meeting that they would discuss certain ‘measures’ to guard against this, but did not elaborate.
At the two rounds of the all-party meeting held on Monday, many political outfits had raised objections over lowering the age of consent. The BJP, SP and some others demanded that the age of consent for sex be 18 years and not 16 as envisaged in the bill approved by the cabinet.
They contended that since the age of marriage is 18 years, the age of consent should be the same.
Based on objections by other parties, the government has also agreed that provisions regarding stalking and voyeurism, which have been criminalised for the first time, will be watered down to prevent false cases.
This was done at the request of the Samajwadi Party and others. The first offence in both these categories, for example, has been made bailable.
The age of consent for sex was 16 years under the IPC before government promulgated an ordinance on 3 February this year, raising it to 18.
The ordinance lapses on 4 April and the government and most parties are of the view that the bill be passed with suitable changes before the Budget session goes into recess on 22 March.
The BJP had reservations against lowering the age of consent, while the Samajwadi Party had expressed concerns that some provisions of the bill could be misused in order to target people.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kamal Nath, said after an all-party meeting that they would discuss certain ‘measures’ to guard against this, but did not elaborate.
At the two rounds of the all-party meeting held on Monday, many political outfits had raised objections over lowering the age of consent. The BJP, SP and some others demanded that the age of consent for sex be 18 years and not 16 as envisaged in the bill approved by the cabinet.
They contended that since the age of marriage is 18 years, the age of consent should be the same.
Based on objections by other parties, the government has also agreed that provisions regarding stalking and voyeurism, which have been criminalised for the first time, will be watered down to prevent false cases.
This was done at the request of the Samajwadi Party and others. The first offence in both these categories, for example, has been made bailable.
The age of consent for sex was 16 years under the IPC before government promulgated an ordinance on 3 February this year, raising it to 18.
The ordinance lapses on 4 April and the government and most parties are of the view that the bill be passed with suitable changes before the Budget session goes into recess on 22 March.