In a bid to display its seriousness and urgency, the government will start action on the recommendations of Justice JS Verma Committee on crime against women from the coming Budget Session of Parliament.
Making this clear, Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said the views of various ministries are being sought on the report which has recommended amendments to the law to provide for more stringent punishment for crimes against women but not death sentence.
"The Cabinet will deliberate upon it and depending upon the view that the Cabinet takes, the matter will then have to be carried through the normal Parliamentary processes... We hope to be able to take some action during the Budget session of Parliament," Kumar told PTI in an interview.
The Budget Session is expected to begin in the third week of next month.
On the possible action that the government could take urgently, the Minister said if amendment is required in any law, the government will move to do it.
In this context, he referred to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill which the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home is examining. "If there is a need to refer it (the Verma Committee report) to the standing committee, we will do so."
The bill to amend criminal law, introduced in the Lok Sabha last month, seeks to specify acid attack as a separate offence with minimum imprisonment of 10 years that may extend up to life term and a fine of Rs10 lakh.
It also replaces the existing offence of rape with that of sexual assault and makes it gender neutral.
The IPC provides a punishment of minimum of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment and a fine for the offence of rape. It allows the court to impose a lower sentence. The Bill retains the punishment specified but takes away the power of the court to lower the sentence.
The Law Minister said the government has recognised the urgency to move forward in the matter regarding crimes against women and will do so consistent with the need for cool and rational deliberations.
He said the recommendations, running into over 600 pages, will first be examined minutely and carefully before a final view is taken on the follow up action.
The Minister said before the Union Cabinet takes a call on the issue, the views of the various ministries will be taken after in depth discussions at various levels.
Asked when the views of various ministries would be taken, he said it is already in the process.
Terming the report as a "serious work", Kumar said after considering which part of it to accept or not to accept, government could move an amendment bill in Parliament.
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