The Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Dec 4, 2017 unanimously passed a Bill awarding death to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below.
With this, Madhya Pradesh becomes the first State where those convicted of such rapes will face the gallows.
Introduced in the House by Law and Legislative Affairs Minister Rampal Singh, the Bill was discussed in detail and then passed by all parties, including the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress.
The Bill will now be sent to the President for his assent after which it will become a law, State Home Minister Bhupendra Singh told reporters outside the Assembly.
Capital punishment would be awarded to convicts under Section 376 (A), which is related to rape, and Section 376 (D, A), pertaining to gang rape.
MP: Know More- Madhya Pradesh, with an area of 3, 08, 000 sq.km. is the second largest state in India after Rajasthan.
- It is a part of peninsular plateau of India lying in north central part, whose boundary can be classified in the north by the plains of Ganga-Yamuna, in the west by the Aravali, east by the Chhattisgarh plain and in the south by the Tapti valley and the plateau of Maharashtra.
- The topography of Madhya Pradesh is defined by the Narmada Sone Valley.
- The population of Madhya Pradesh is over 7 crore.
- More than 75% of the population resides in villages whose main occupation is agriculture, while the rest of the population lives in towns.
- A majority population is Hindu with Muslims making up the largest minority community.
- The tribes of Madhya Pradesh constitute over 20 % of the state's population and are mainly concentrated in southern southwestern and eastern parts of the state.
- The social customs prevalent among different tribes and castes vary more due to variation in their habitat and surrounding geographical conditions.
- For earnings they depend upon agriculture, forest produce and local craft.
