The Delhi high court asked the Centre on Monday if it had done any research or scientific assessment before coming out with an ordinance to award death penalty for rape of girls below the age of 12. “Did you carry out any study, any scientific assessment that death penalty is a deterrent to rape? It further questioned whether any victims were asked what they want before coming out with the ordinance. The plea by academician Madhu Purnima Kishwar has claimed that the amendments to the law related to sexual offences is being abused in practice. Under the new ordinance, minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from rigorous imprisonment of seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment.

Source: Hindustan Times April 23, 2018 12:44 UTC