-The Hindu Verma panel recommended fixing responsibility on superior officers The Centre has not accepted the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee regarding punishment to government servants, particularly police and army personnel, involved in acts of crime against women. The ordinance, cleared by the Union Cabinet on Friday, aims at making changes in various sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with crime against women. For instance, the three-member panel had suggested changes in...

-The Indian Express From amendments to the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and criminal laws dealing with sexual violence against women to immediate steps to check trafficking of women and children, the three-member Justice J S Verma Committee Wednesday presented a detailed roadmap of steps the Centre and states should take to prevent sexual crimes against women. The panel, however, left the maximum penalty in rape cases to life imprisonment but...

-The Hindu NHRC directs U.P. govt. to give Rs. 5 lakh to kin of Dalit girl killed by constable; The constable had murdered and hanged a Dalit girl after a failed rape attempt The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the family of a 14-year-old Dalit girl, who was murdered by a police constable after a failed rape...

-Outlook Lucknow: An application was today moved in a local court here seeking direction to lodge a criminal case against spiritual leader Asaram Bapu for his remarks in connection with the Delhi gang-rape case. The application was moved in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Rajesh Upadhyaya by social activist Madan Lal Shukla. The applicant has alleged that Asaram Bapu made the statement to insult women, which was an offence under the Indian...

-The Hindu The old Penal Code exempts it as an offence if a wife is not under 16 Opposing the death penalty for those guilty of rape, women’s groups have demanded that marital rape, stalking and stripping be regarded as serious offences. The old Penal Code and the proposed amendments exempt marital rape as an offence if a wife is not under 16 years of age. This exemption, totally and unreasonably, ignores the...