The President of India on April 22, 2018 approved the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. The salient features of the ordinance are:
- The ordinance amends Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Indian Evidence Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
- Minimum Punishment for Rape has been made ten years. It was seven years earlier. The maximum punishment remains the same, i.e., life imprisonment.
- Minimum punishment of twenty years to a person committing rape on a woman under sixteen years of age.
- Minimum punishment of twenty years rigorous imprisonment and maximum death penalty or life imprisonment for committing rape on a girl aged below twelve years of age.
- Fine imposed shall be just and reasonable to meet the medical expenses and rehabilitation of the victim.
- A Police Officer committing rape anywhere shall be awarded rigorous imprisonment of minimum ten years.
- The investigation in relation to in all rape cases may be completed within two months from the date on which the information was recorded by the officer in charge of the police station.
- No anticipatory bail can be granted to a person accused of rape of girls of age less than sixteen years.
- Appeals in rape cases to be disposed within six months