INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
said that the cabinet has approved amendments to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, further strengthening the law
to safeguard minors in the country
The provision of death penalty has also been included for those found guilty of aggravated assault on a child."This is a very wholesome
initiative by the Union government
The government has brought about a far-reaching amendment in the POCSO Act
Our aim is to prevent children from falling victim to sexual aggression," he told reporters at a press meet today.Mr Prasad claimed that the
architecture of POCSO has not only been strengthened but also expanded through this move
"There are some who cause premature development in children through the administration of hormones to enhance their appeal in the sex trade
Doing this has now been made a major offence through Section 9 of the Act," he said, adding that drugs should not be abused to "kill the
childhood of a child" for extraneous purposes
"Another objective of this provision is to curb the proliferation of child pornography
Anybody found circulating such material for commercial or other purposes will also face stringent punishment," he said.The POCSO Act was
enacted in 2012 to provide a robust legal framework for the protection of children from sexual assault, harassment and pornography while
safeguarding the interests of the child at every stage of the judicial process
However, the recent rise in child abuse cases has led to demands that the law be made more stringent to deter offenders
Several states, including Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, have approved the death penalty for those found guilty of raping children
