The Hindu : LS nod for Bill to help rape victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

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LS nod for Bill to help rape victims

New Delhi Dec. 9 . Amidst increasing incidence of rape, the Government today assured the Lok Sabha that it would bring a ``comprehensive'' legislation to check the crime, even as the House passed a Bill seeking to bar cross-examination that sought to show the rape victim in a poor light.

Cutting across party lines, the members hailed the Indian Evidence (Amendment) Bill, 2002, amending the original Act of 1872 by deleting two clauses. The Bill was passed by a voice vote.

Replying to a discussion on the Bill, the Law Minister, Jana Krishnamurthy, welcomed the members' suggestion that the Government should adopt a holistic approach to the issue and promised to bring a comprehensive legislation, removing various ``loopholes'' in the existing rape laws.

The Government would hold wide consultations with different political parties and experts and try to bring such a Bill in the next session, in an effort to curb crime against women and ensure speedy justice to the victims. Mr. Krishnamurthy said the amendment sought to save the victim from a ``second humiliation'' and render justice to them.

``We need to review the entire Act to make disposal of rape cases time-bound and the punishment more stringent,'' Margaret Alva (Congress) said, initiating the discussion on the Bill.

Offshore Mineral Bill

Parliament today gave its approval to the development and regulation of off-shore mineral resources with private participation, after the Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Ravi Shankar Prasad, assured the Rajya Sabha that the legislation would not infringe upon the States' rights for on-shore mineral development.

The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2002, providing for development and regulation of mineral resources in territorial waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone and other maritime territorial waters was passed by the Upper House with a voice vote, after negating amendments moved by Jibon Roy (CPI-M). It had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha.

Replying to a brief debate, the Minister said there was ``no hidden agenda'' in bringing the legislation, as alleged by some Opposition members. He said it was a ``futuristic bill in nature'' and had been brought about after detailed deliberations with as many as 11 ministries concerned over a six-year period.

Opposition members, especially N.K.Premachandran (RSP), apprehended that the Bill would encroach upon the rights of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other coastal States to develop the rich and strategic mineral resources on their beaches. The Minister assured them that this would not happen.

Referring to Mr. Premachandran's demand that the royalty on the development of off-shore mineral resources should be shared with the State governments concerned, the Minister said that was not possible because under the 1976 legislation, the development, regulation and royalty from off-shore mining were the responsibilities of the Central Government.

PTI

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