Speaker may send copy of ‘Aparajita Bill’ to PM & HM

KOLKATA: In a bid to mount pressure on the Centre, Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay may send a copy of ‘Aparajita Bill’ which was recently passed in the state Assembly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Bill has already been sent to Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose for his assent. If the Governor cannot take a decision on the Bill, he can transfer it to the President of India. It was learnt that the Assembly Speaker might be sending the Bill to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to make them understand the importance of the Bill.

The Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024 which was passed unanimously in Bengal Assembly on Tuesday has three main purposes — ensuring stringent punishment for the culprit(s), completing a swift probe, and speedy dispensation of justice. A day after the Bengal Legislative Assembly passed the historic ‘Aparajita Bill’ to call for the strictest punishment in cases of rape, the NCP (SP) Chief, Sharad Pawar on Wednesday expressed his intent to bring a similar Bill in Maharashtra. The ruling party in Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) also demanded nationwide implementation of a similar Bill so that strictest punishment can be attributed to rape convicts. Lauding Pawar’s decision to replicate Bengal’s anti-rape Bill to seek capital punishment for the rape convicts, TMC said that it will further strengthen the movement against rape.

Apart from targeting cases of sexual assault under the BNS, the Bill also focusses on the cases lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Additionally, the anti-rape Bill also ensures the constitution of ‘Aparajita Task Force’ in every district of the State.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the Governor pulled up the Chief Minister for failing to send a technical report along with the Aparajita Bill passed by state Assembly.

As per rule, the state government is duty-bound to send the technical report before a decision is taken on giving assent to the Bill.

Sources stated that Raj Bhavan admonished Nabanna against misleading people to cover up the lapses of the

state government.