The Tamil Nadu government is in favour of amending the Indian Penal Code, 1860, to increase the punishment for crimes against women and children, including dowry-related deaths, the stalking of women and the sale of minors for sex, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced in the Assembly on Wednesday.
In a suo motu statement in the House, Mr. Palaniswami said the State government would make a recommendation to the Centre for increasing the minimum punishment for crimes under Sections 372 (Selling minor for purposes of prostitution, etc.) and 373 (Buying minor for purposes of prostitution, etc.) to seven years’ imprisonment, with life sentence as the maximum punishment.
Currently, the maximum punishment for crimes under Sections 372 and 373 is 10 years’ imprisonment.
He said the government would also recommend amending the Indian Penal Code for increasing the maximum punishment for stalking (Section 354-D) to seven years’ imprisonment in case of a second or subsequent conviction.
Subsequent conviction
Currently, the punishment for a second or subsequent conviction is imprisonment for up to five years.
The Tamil Nadu government would also recommend increasing the minimum punishment for dowry-related deaths (Section 304-B) to 10 years’ imprisonment, and for disrobing a woman (Section 354-B), a minimum of five years and a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
