Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has pushed for death sentence for convicts in gangrape cases and rape cases involving girls of 12 years of age and below, according to ANI.
An amendment in the penal code to increase fine and punishment for rape convicts has also reportedly been approved.
The moves comes in the wake of a spurt in rape incidents recently.
The Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan okayed the recommendation to hand down capital punishment for rape of girls aged 12 years or below.MP Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya
"We are going to present a bill to this effect in the winter session of the Assembly beginning tomorrow," he said.
It was also decided to give harsher punishment to those guilty of molesting, stalking and harassing women. Now, a fine of Rs 1 lakh will also be imposed on such offenders.
Once cleared by the Assembly, the bill for capital punishment for rape of girls aged 12 or below will be sent to the Centre which will send it to the President for his approval.
The Madhya Pradesh government had recently come in for criticism over recent incidents of rape in the state.
A 19-year-old UPSC aspirant was allegedly raped when she was returning home from a coaching institute on 31 October in Bhopal. Public outrage over delay in registering an FIR led to the suspension of some police officers.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2015, released in August last year, showed that Madhya Pradesh reported highest number of rape cases (4,391) in the country.
According to the NCRB data for 2014, the state reported 5,076 rape cases, which was 14 percent of the total rape incidents reported in the country.
In 2013, 4,335 rape cases were reported in the state as against 3,425 in 2012. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said on 31 March that an amendment to the criminal law providing death penalty for raping a minor would be introduced in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in the monsoon session. He had also said that once it is passed it would be forwarded to the President for assent.
(With inputs from PTI)
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