Cabinet Approves Ordinance Against Rape Case Mediators

Kathmandu, Nov. 23: The government Sunday recommended an ordinance on rape cases to President Bidya Devi Bhandari for its certification. The ordinance has a specific provision of extending jail term to the persons involved in mediating rape cases by six months to three years.

According to Minister for Communication and Information Technology Parbat Gurung, a meeting of the Council of Ministers held at the official residence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday decided to issue the ordinance with stringent punishment provisions to the rapists, and people involved mediating the rape cases.

The ordinance was forwarded to the Office of the President for its certification following the Cabinet meeting, informed Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson.
Following the certification of the ordinance, people involved in the settlement of rape cases in the community level will also face criminal charges.

Meanwhile, talking to Narayan Kafle of the Gorkhapatra, sister daily of this publication, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Shivamaya Tumbahamphe said that the ordinance was introduced as the victims of violence needed prompt justice by immediately reviewing the law.

Minister Tumbahamphe said, “The objective of introducing the ordinance is to reform the law according to changing time. We have recommended the ordinance to address the demands of the victims immediately. ”
Recently, it was alleged that a rape case was settled in the involvement of the people’s representatives. The ordinance provisions additional six months’ imprisonment if a person holding a public office involves in settling a rape case.

A person holding a public office can be imprisoned for three and a half years. The bill on the ordinance defines the act of exerting pressure, influencing, obstructing the process of complaint etc. with or without financial transactions for reconciliation as an offense.

The ordinance has increased the provision of punishment according to the age of the victims.
In case the rape victim is a person of the group aged between 14 and 16 years, the culprit will now be imprisoned for 12 to 16 years. Earlier, the offender used to face imprisonment of 12 to 14 years.

Similarly, if the rape victim is of the age group of 16 to 18 years, the offenders will be sentenced 12 to 14 years in prison. Earlier, the imprisonment period was 10 to 12 years. Likewise, both the minimum and maximum punishment for the rape of persons aged above 18 years has been increased. Accordingly, the sentence will now be 10 to 12 years in prison from seven to 10 years. Imprisonment period of rape culprits will not be waived.

Punishment for those who raped persons aged below 10 years and persons with complete disability and disability is still the same. At present, there is a provision of life imprisonment for anyone convicted of raping minors aged below 10 years.

The ordinance has also amended some provisions of the Senior Citizens Act 2063 BS. The ordinance stipulates that imprisonment period cannot be waived even if the rapist is a senior citizen.

The Rising Nepal

Next Post

False PCR Reports Land NAC In Trouble

Mon Nov 23 , 2020
Tweet By Purushottam P. Khatri Kathmandu, Nov. 23: On October […]

Health Tips