The Maharashtra state cabinet on Wednesday, 9 December, approved a draft for a bill that seeks to introduce death penalty, as well as life sentence and steep fines for crimes perpetrated against women and children, PTI reported.
The bill was introduced in Mumbai and is set to be tabled in the state legislature during the winter session, which is likely to on 14 December, Home Minster Anil Desmukh reportedly said after the cabinet meeting.
It seeks to amend the sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to be implemented as law in the state.
Deshmukh also reportedly said that the law would be called “Shakti Act” and added that it provides for completing a probe in a case and its trial within a stipulated time of 15 and 30 days, respectively.