Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has sent the newly passed Aparajita Bill for consideration of the President of India after receiving the mandatory technical report from the West Bengal government.
“On receipt of a mandatory technical report from the West Bengal government, the Governor has referred the Aparajita Bill for consideration of the President of India,” a Raj Bhawan statement said.
The West Bengal state assembly passed a new bill, named Aparajita Women & Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024, on Tuesday.
“Today the Chief Secretary called on the Governor. In the afternoon the mandatory technical report was made available to the Governor by the government. The Governor has reserved the Bill for consideration of the President of India. Now West Bengal Bill will join the lot of similar other Bills pending with the President from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh,” the statement posted in Raj Bhawan Media cell X Handle said.
State Law minister Moloy Ghatak introduced the new Bill. “The new bill includes certain amendments and aims expedited investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on the floor of the House.
Referring the bill, which seeks amendments in the relevant provision under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during the debate on the new bill, claimed on Tuesday that “it was a matter of shame that the Prime Minister could not do what her government did”.
“..The Raj Bhavan expressed its displeasure over the failure of the Assembly secretariat in providing the text of the debates and its translation as required under the rules. At the end of acrimonious debates, mutual accusations, political threats and ultimatum, the Chief Minister had threatened dharna outside of Raj Bhavan if the Bill is not assented to by the Governor,” a Raj Bhawan statement posted in X Handle of Raj Bhawan Media Cell, read.
“The Governor took umbrage at the intimidatory stance of the CM and admonished the government for their failure in observing legal and constitutional properties,” Raj Bhawan statement said.
The Governor has pointed out the omissions and commissions in the hurriedly passed Bill. “People cannot wait till the Bill is implemented. They want justice and justice should be given to them within the framework of the existing law. The Bengal government should act effectively, people should get justice. It is the government’s duty to wipe the tears of the bereaved mother who lost her dear daughter,” Bose said.
Governor pointed out the glaring defects and lapses in the Bill and advised the government “to do their homework instead of going in for knee jerk responses.”
