New Delhi, 18th March: An all-party meet took place on Monday to discuss the anti-rape bill and build a consensus so that it could be introduced in Parliament tomorrow.
The meeting took place twice. In the first meeting the DMK, TDP, RJD and BJP failed to turn up. The second meet took place at 12:30 pm.
The meeting had ended inconclusively, as per sources, with age for consensual sex being one the major the bone of contention. As per sources the government has decided to place the bill in Parliament tomorrow. Also, as per reports the government is not averse to the age of consent being 18.
He added that some parties feared that the bill would be misused and thus they wanted safeguards before the bill was passed.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Cabinet will once again meet this evening to discuss the anti-rape bill. The SP is opposed to the bill, particularly the clause on lowering the age for consensual sex from 18 to 16 years.
However, the Bahujan Samaj Party has supported the government and has said the controversial provisions of the bill could be discussed in Parliament.
Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram recommended, among other things, lowering of age of consent for sex from 18 to 16 years.
The need for a stronger bill emerged after the brutal gang-rape of a 23-year old girl in a moving bus in the national capital.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, will replace the ordinance promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee Feb 3. It has to be passed by April 4, within six weeks from Feb 21, when parliament’s budget session started.
Bureau Report
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