New Delhi, Mar 12 (IANS): The proposed anti-rape law is going to take some more time.

The bill was referred to a Group of Ministers (GoM) Tuesday following differences of opinion among ministries over certain provisions, including lowering the age of juveniles, officials said.

The cabinet met Tuesday morning to finalise the law but difference erupted between various ministries and it was send to the GoM to resolve the same.

"There is a need for further finetuning of some provisions of the bill for a harmonious law," a senior official admitted.

The GoM will be headed by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and others including Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal and Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath.

Tirath said: "We will pass the bill within the stipulated timeframe. There are differences which will be sorted out soon."

The ordinance, which was promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee Feb 3, has to be approved by parliament within six weeks from the date of its promulgation. The first half of the ongoing budget session ends March 22 and the house will reconvene April 22.

The ordinance proposes the death penalty in the rarest of rare cases of rape and for repeat offenders while keeping marital rape out of its ambit.

The issues have been in sharp focus after the brutal assault and gang-rape of a Delhi woman Dec 16, 2012. She succumbed to her injuries Dec 29 in Singapore.

The ordinance was framed by the government to show its intention to treat the issue of crimes against women with urgency and incorporated suggestions of the Justice J.S. Verma Committee formed to give views to make anti-rape laws more strong.