Governor Refers West Bengal Anti-Rape Bill to President for Consideration

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has referred the 'Aparajita Bill', an anti-rape legislation passed by the state assembly, to President Droupadi Murmu for consideration. The bill seeks strict penalties for rape convicts, including capital punishment and life sentences without parole. Bose referred the bill after receiving the technical report from the state government.

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday referred the anti-rape Bill passed by the assembly to President Droupadi Murmu for her consideration, a Raj Bhavan official said.

Bose, who was handed over the technical report of the bill by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant earlier in the day, referred the Bill to Murmu after going through it, he said.

''Governor refers the 'Aparajita Bill' to President Droupadi Murmu for consideration. He referred it after receiving the mandatory technical report from the state government,'' the official told PTI. Bose had on Thursday criticised the Mamata Banerjee administration for ''failing to send'' the technical report along with the Bill, necessary for giving assent to it.

The West Bengal assembly had on September 3 unanimously passed the 'Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024' that seeks capital punishment for rape convicts if their actions result in the victim's death or leave her in a vegetative state, and life sentence without parole for other perpetrators.

(With inputs from agencies.)