Tackling crimes against women, children prioritised in BNS: Govt in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry told Lok Sabha on Tuesday that action on crimes against women and children have received precedence “for the first time”, and placed under one chapter in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In a written response to BJP MP Anil Baluni during the Question Hour, Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar said strict punishments up to death sentence have been provided for offences against women.

Kumar said, “Punishment for gang rape of a woman below the age of 18 years is life imprisonment till remainder of the convict’s natural life or death. A new offence for having sexual intercourse on false promise of marriage, employment, promotion or by concealing identity, etc has also been incorporated in BNS.”

Baluni had asked if tackling crimes against women and children have received priority in the new criminal laws which have replaced the British-era Indian Penal Code.

The ministry said, “In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, for the first time, the provisions relating to crime against woman and child have been given precedence and placed under one chapter.”

The ministry said the government is committed to preventing human trafficking.

The Section 143 of the BNS provides provisions for strict punishment up to life imprisonment for offence of human trafficking, it said, adding that when the offence involves the trafficking of a child, it shall be punished with imprisonment not less than 10 years but which may extend to imprisonment for life.

It noted that beggary has been introduced as a form of exploitation for trafficking and is punishable under the Section 143 of the BNS.

In addition, section 144 (1) of the BNS provides for strict punishment for the offence of sexual exploitation of trafficked children, the reply said, adding the minimum punishment for such offences is five years, extendable upto life imprisonment. (PTI)