TMC delegation meets President Murmu over pending Aparajita Bill

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) A delegation of Trinamool Congress MPs met President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday, urging her to expedite the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, which had been sent to her by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on September 6.

The delegation, which included Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Parliamentary Party leaders Derek O’Brien and Sudip Bandyopadhyay respectively, as well as MPs Dola Sen, Pratima Mondal, and other women MPs from the party, said they wanted to draw the President’s attention to the pending Bill.

On September 3, the West Bengal Assembly unanimously passed the bill, which seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life imprisonment without parole for other perpetrators.

Speaking to the media after meeting with the President, TMC leaders said they presented their demands to her.

Asked about the President’s response, Bandyopadhyay said she gave them a patient hearing and assured them she would look into the matter.

“The Bill was passed unanimously by the West Bengal Assembly, and the West Bengal Governor reserved the Bill for the President’s consideration,” Mondal told reporters.

She explained that the Governor had three options: to give assent to the Bill, withhold assent, or reserve the Bill for Presidential consideration, as was done in this case.

“This Bill seeks to mandate swift, streamlined procedures for handling rape cases, ensuring justice is neither delayed nor denied. By implementing clear timelines for investigation and trial, this Bill seeks to reinforce public trust and strengthen the deterrent against such heinous crimes,” she said.

“The Bill is awaiting the assent of the Honourable President. We urged the President to take the necessary action at the earliest regarding this Bill,” she added.

Other significant features of the proposed legislation include the completion of investigations into rape cases within 21 days of the initial report, reduced from the previous two-month deadline and the establishment of a special task force where women officers will lead investigations.

A special two-day session of the House was convened by the West Bengal government for the introduction and passage of the Bill, which was moved in the wake of widespread protests that rocked the state following the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.