Death Penalty for Child Rapists Highlights

New Delhi, April 22: The centre signed off on an ordinance, or emergency executive order, to introduce capital punishment for child rapists on Saturday.

It is seen as an effort to signal the government's commitment to fight sexual crimes against young girls.

President Ram Nath Kovind has been approved an ordinance to provide death penalty to those convicted of raping a child below the age of 12.


Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years.

In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years

The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years.

The centre said rape probes and trials cannot take more than two months each.