The continuing distribution of the death penalty
The life of the death sentence in India has been unending, and like a phoenix revives itself in different forms every now and then. The latest addition to this is the Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, adopted by the West Bengal government, the reason being the brutal rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. It seeks to amend the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, in their application to the State of West Bengal. Among other things, it introduces the death penalty for the offence of rape.While it has been unanimously passed by the Bengal Assembly, the State Governor was critical but has referred it to t...