West Bengal Passes Death Penalty Bill for Rape

On 3rd September, 2024, the West Bengal Assembly passed a bill introducing the death penalty for various rape offences, sparking debate among legal experts who call it a reaction to the recent Kolkata rape case.

The Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes death penalty for crimes like rape, gang rape, and repeat offences, in response to the horrific rape and murder at Kolkata’s RGKMCH.
Amendments to five offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) are included in the bill, covering rape by public servants and cases leading to the victim's death or vegetative state.
The bill also mandates the creation of an Aparajita Task Force for investigations and special courts to expedite trials in such cases.
Legal experts, including former Supreme Court Judge Asok Kumar Ganguly, argue that empirical evidence shows harsher punishments like the death penalty do not reduce crime rates, and proper implementation of existing laws is more effective.