New Delhi : A bill entailing amendments to the Pocso Act by including death penalty for aggravated sexual assault on children, besides providing stringent punishments for other crimes against minors, was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, moving the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act said, “The amendments I move today are ensuring that those who rape our children, especially cases of gang rape, will be met by death”. The proposed changes in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act also include fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography.
“Today, through this amendment we seek to define child pornography but we don’t limit it only to videos. The amendment through definition of child pornography expands it to visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor or a child which will include photographs, video digital or photo generated images,”said Irani.
Many cases have come to light which show children becoming more vulnerable with evolving technology and therefore minister believes that the biggest amendments to the bill is the definition of child pornography.