On Monday, January 4, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh invited suggestions, amendments to the Maharashtra Shakti Criminal Law (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2020.
These suggestions and amendments are to be sent to the joint select committee of legislators during the recently-held winter session. The law aims to provide stricter punishment of death penalty and a fine up to ₹10 lakhs for atrocious crimes against women and children in the state.
The bill, known as the “Shakti Act” is to be modelled on the lines of Andhra Pradesh's Disha Act. Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had earlier visited Andhra Pradesh to learn about the same. In view of the situation, speaking about the said law, Deshmukh had earlier asserted that action will be taken against anyone who posts photos of women on social media in an inappropriate fashion.
Moreover, the accused in this case can be sentenced to up to two years of imprisonment under the Shakti Act. In addition, the cabinet has approved the draft bill at a meeting in Mumbai and it is touted to be tabled in the state legislature during its upcoming winter session.
However, in recent developments, after the bill was tabled in both the houses of the state legislature earlier on December 14, opposition and a few women’s rights organisations had objected to the draft and demanded a comprehensive discussion on it due to which the state had then sent the bill to the joint select committee.
As per reports, several women’s groups had opposed sections of the bill for introducing the death penalty for rape, gang rape and penetrative sexual assault against children, and for suggesting an amendment to section 375 on the presumption of consent, which, they said, would make it difficult for the prosecution to establish the crime of rape.