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GoM agrees to bring down age of consent to 16

  •   Thu, Mar 14 2013 09:43:23 AM

New Delhi, Mar 14 (IANS): A group of ministers (GoM) Wednesday reached a consensus on the anti-rape bill with an agreement on replacing the word 'sexual assault' with 'rape' and reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16, sources said.

Stalking and voyeurism had been made non-bailable and there will be no penalty on false complaints.

The union cabinet is expected to take up the draft Thursday. The cabinet had deferred a decision on the anti-rape bill Tuesday due to lack of unanimity. The GoM was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve the differences.

The GoM agreed on replacing the word 'sexual assault' with 'rape' and on reducing the age of consent from 18 to 16, sources said.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had Tuesday expressed confidence that that differences would be resolved and the government will be able to secure parliamentary approval for the legislation by March 22.

The bill is expected to be in parliament only next week as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has called an all-party meet to evolve consensus over the issue March 18.

He has spoken to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party leaders on the legislation, sources said.
  

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  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    @ Athiest , Mangalore / Dubai. PCMA is been enacted just to restrict , because child marriage is cultural and religious phenomenon. Goverment do not want to go head on public interst. Even PCMA can be challenged in court by personal law . Eg: delhi high court verdict and recent karnataka high court judgement. I feel age of puberty should be age of marriage as its 12 in most countries over world. If you go by statistics PCMA and kidnapping charges are quashed in almost all cases when brides consents and she is 15 plus. What we need to stop is forced marriage , which hurts the choice of person.

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  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Reason of cry for gender neutral act is becoz political fraternity and also nation feels crimes against boys or men also to be included. As a inclussive bill more effiecient and reduce false , complaints. stepping out of draconian patrirchy bill , a neutral law will also prosecute women who harrass , torment or even abuse specially children in shelter homes , porn sites . It also incudes humiliated boy servants , male child trafficking. It also gives legal teeth to men when they are fabricated by biased laws like 498a and dv act.

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  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    @ Athiest , Mangalore. Please do not get confused betwean laws regarding relationships. Prevention of child marriage act ( PCMA ) only prohibits minor marriage with some legal penalties that can be quashed in court later . And PCMA works only when someone complaints. But minor marriages once happens are valid ( but voidable ). As child marriages already in place , lowering age of consent is in the best interst of progressive youth , conservatives may not agree with it.

    DisAgree [2] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Atheist, Mangalore/ Dubai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    what kind of legal penalties..?? people are made to pay certain mount as fines or serve a period of jail term or both..blah blah blah.. and why does PCMA act only on complaints? why cant it act on every case which is against the law. Do you mean to say the action is taken only when the victim files a complaint? what about people who do not bring up issues like rape in order avoid shame/embarrassment to their families in the society?

    What do you say about my second suggestion TO PUNISH THE CULPRITS/RAPISTS BASED ON THEIR CRIME AND NOT LOOKING ON THEIR AGE.

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  • R.Bhandarkar, M'Lore

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Hi Juliet Mai...
    Nice to be back....
    Kaalen ho Galaato suru zalla! Roshan formaar Asaa!
    18 to 16 kaheen!
    In our times- age was never a barrier for anything!

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  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    @ Lydia Lobo , Kadri . Which world you live in? , look at the statistics of minor marriages , its real and on a majority of fifty percent. I did not find any single reason why one should feel disgraced to get married to a 15 year girl and make her concieve. It also not illegal since , crpc codes keep marital clause for consent as 15 ( only within marriage ). Wake up.

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  • Lydia Lobo, Kadri

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Roshan Braganza,

     A body of a girl (nor a boy too for that matter) does not develop fully until the age of 20, as such she is not capable to cater for enough energy to proper development of a baby within her. Medically, allowing a woman to have a child before the age of 20 is not advisable.

    I have told you before too, get to know a woman and understand what she undergoes while transforming as a mother. Being legally intellect is not at par with being a human !

    Please, do not think women as an object of pleasure, they are humans and they are hurt as you are !

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar, M'Lore

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Hi Juliet Mai....
    Nice to be back....
    18-16 it seems
    Our times -Age was never a barrier
    for anything! This is something of a regression in progression'!

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jayarama, Udupi/Riyadh

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    First let Congi build child care centers, how a 16 year old mother will take care of her baby?

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lydia Lobo, Kadri

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    When did Congress tell you that women can be pregnant at 15 ? The law is to benefit those who are in the habit of raping ! No sane man wants to marry a girl of 15 and would never wish her to be pregnant at 15 ! I wonder why you are in favour of it !

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Atheist, Mangalore/ Dubai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    If a 16 year old conceives then they will have to wait for 2 years untill they can legally marry at the age of 18..my question is why cant Govt keep the same age for consent and marriage? that is 18 years and punish the criminals and rapists on basis of their crimes committed and not on age?

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lydia Lobo, Kadri

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Atheist,

    The reluctance to lower the age of consent was exactly for the reason that the marriageable age is 18. Indian culture does not allow sex before marriage, as such, there is not sense in lowering the age of consent.

    What is an issue here is that previously, whenever an abuse (sexual) took place, if the age of the victim was below 18, it was legally considered as rape. But now, an abuse on a girl below 18 will somehow be argued as she asked for it (consensual) instead of how it was thought before. Teenage victims are enormously at loss with this amendment.

    The issue is very sensitive hence impossible to discuss on a public forum.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Atheist, Mangalore/ Dubai

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Ms. Lydia Lobo, you have a valid point. never thought on those lines.
    Thank for enlightening me

    DisAgree Agree Report Abuse

  • Roshan Braganza, Mumbai / Udyavar

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    If the sources are to be believed , GOM consists only pro feminists and anti male right ministers. There is a growing descent within cabinet and also opposition on this draconian rape bill , which can be highly misused by women against men to settle scores. There are numerous cases of women assaulting men are coming up , forcing the thought of keeping act as gender neutral. ........//....... Among all this mess , fine thing is to happen is of AGE OF CONSENT. There is already marital clauses of consent 12 and 15 , as more than fifty percent of girls in india get marry before 18. If govt makes consent as 16 , its good since peaple can practise it legally , without the burden of marriage.

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Lydia Lobo, Kadri

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Roshan Braganza,

    All these days whenever a rape related news came up, you were blowing your trumpet asking to lower the age of consent ! Now when it has happened, you are not happy ! What is it that you actually want gentleman ? Freedom to rape ? Instead of fighting for it to be granted for the pleasure of men, why not try it yourself ? You can then enjoy the consequences ? I actually want to see how many will the there on the streets fighting for letting your free !

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Juliet Mascarenhas, Bejai/Mangalore

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Bhandarkar maamu,
    Good morning.
    Abba at laast....

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar, M'Lore

    Thu, Mar 14 2013

    Looks like the consensus was on 'the earlier the better'!!Wonder if Mr. Shinde got the point or whether it had to be described to him in detail!
    He has knack of understanding everything on the rebound you see!

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse


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