Bengal Governor refers anti-rape Bill to President for consideration

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday (September 6) referred the anti-rape Bill passed by the Assembly to President Droupadi Murmu for her consideration, a Raj Bhavan official said.

Bose, who was handed over the technical report of the bill by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant earlier in the day, referred the Bill to Murmu after going through it, he said.

"Governor refers the 'Aparajita Bill' to President Droupadi Murmu for consideration. He referred it after receiving the mandatory technical report from the state government," the official told PTI.

Bose had on Thursday criticised the Mamata Banerjee administration for "failing to send" the technical report along with the Bill, which is necessary for giving assent to it.

The West Bengal Assembly had on September 3 unanimously passed the 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024' that seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.

The Governor said that people can not wait till the Bill is implemented.

'They want justice and justice should be given to them within the framework of the existing law. The government should act effectively,  and people should get justice. It is govt’s duty to wipe the tears of the bereaved mother who lost her dear daughter, " he said. 

The Governor pointed out the bill's glaring defects and lapses and advised the government to do its homework instead of adopting knee-jerk responses.

(With Agency inputs)